


Burn The Galaxy

by my_el_dorado



Series: Stars Ignite [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: #reyandtrigarebffs, Eventual Smut, F/M, Forgive Me, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kylo Ren Redemption, Light Angst, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Shameless Smut, Smut, What Have I Done
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-08-23 22:28:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 85,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8345179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_el_dorado/pseuds/my_el_dorado
Summary: I asked him for it.For the blood, for the rust,for the sin.I didn’t want the pearls other girls talked about,or the fine marble of palaces,or even the roses in the mouth of servants.I wanted pomegranates—I wanted darkness,I wanted him.So I grabbed my king and ran awayto a land of death,where I reigned and people whisperedthat I’d been dragged.I’ll tell you I’ve changed. I’ll tell you,the red on my lips isn’t wine.I hope you’ve heard of horns,but that isn’t half of it. Out of an entire kingdomhe kneels only to me,calls me Queen, calls me Mercy.Several months post TFA, but I will add elements of TLJKylo Ren and Rey are bound to each other in more ways than one.Rey must learn to use her new powers and Kylo must fight the ones already in him, or the galaxy will fall.





	1. Lothal

**Author's Note:**

> This fiction switches perspectives between Kylo and Rey. You'll know when this happens. 
> 
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .
> 
> Enjoy laddies.

**1 month ago**

“Higher, Rey,” Luke commanded from his perch on the boulder.

Rey strained harder, lifting him, the rock he was sitting on, and the boulder ten meters above his head. Rey felt a familiar brush against her mind.

_Remember, I get to be the one to kill him, Scavenger_ , the dark voice said.

_How about you go about your dark Knight duties, sith_ , she spat back.

_As you wish_ , he chuckled, and she felt his presence leave.

It was hard living with the First Knight of the Knights of Ren in her head. He was always there, in some way or another. She would see glimpses of his life, no matter how hard he tried blocking her out. The bond was there, and it was solid.

She faltered, and I rock above Luke came flying down, too fast for her to catch. Just before it got to him, the rock stopped, and was set gently aside. Rey lowered her Master and the stone he was on.

“I'm sorry Master Luke, I didn't mean-” Luke cut her off with a wave of the hand.

“This is why you're here, to learn. To not be sorry. You accomplished the goal of levitating the boulder above me. I did not tell you how long, and yet, you kept it up there. That was very good. Now go. Meditate on today's lesson,” Luke waved her off with a smile.

Rey scrambled up the rock face . Her favorite meditation spot. It was high on a cliff, the tallest point on their little island, and there was a small patch of grass, as if it was made just for her. Rey knew that once she reached the top, and started her meditation, that there was almost no stopping Kylo from slipping into her mind. He did it more often now, usually when she struggled to sleep at night. He would talk to her, wherever he was in the galaxy, until she fell asleep. It was in those moments that he wasn't a monster, or an enemy. He was a friend, helping her find peace. She reached the top easily, years of climbing star destroyers and Imperial ships on Jakku made sure of that. Rey began her breathing exercises, and her mantra that she heard once, in a dream.

“There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish. There is passion, yet peace. Serenity, yet emotion. Chaos, yet order. I am the wielder of the flame, the protector of balance. I am the holder of the torch, lighting the way. I am the keeper of the flame, soldier of balance. I am a guardian of balance.” Rey said it over and over until she found peace, but with peace, comes the chaos within herself.

**Now**

_Rey’s heavy breathing tickled his neck, as Kylo Ren continued his assault on her body, lips, teeth and tongue leaving red marks all over her neck and torso. One hand held her wrists high above her head, the other playing with her wet folds, thumbing her clit, bringing Rey close to madness. “I will find you. You will fulfill this prophecy, Rey,” Kylo whispered into her ear, and then began to bite and suck at the tender skin under her ear. “Please,” she begged him, ignoring what he had just whispered to her, and Kylo raised his gaze to meet her pleading eyes. “Please, what, Rey?” he asked. “You know what, Ben,” she almost whispered, her insides clamping down on Kylo’s hand as she crashed over the edge, once again. “Say it,” Kylo hissed, sucking and biting at her neck, ignoring the use of his given name. It was the norm for her to use it in the dreams they shared, like this one. “Fuck me, Ben Solo,” Rey commanded, and Kylo did just that, thrusting his cock into her. Rey cried out in pleasure. Kylo moved his mouth to hers now, muffling the sounds of her moans. Kylo let go of her wrists, and she immediately moved them to his back, clawing her way up his shoulders. Kylo growled against her, and pulled her hips a little higher in the air, so that with each thrust, he would hit the little spot inside of her, pushing her farther and farther over the edge. Rey was so close to her release, when a beeping sounded in their dream. “Rey?” Kylo asked, freezing where he was. “Ah, shit. Of kriffing course,” Rey cursed, and he felt her presence slipping away. “What is it, Rey?” Kylo asked again, this time anger in his voice at being ignored. Rey leaned forward and kissed his forehead, and then she was gone._

Kylo rose from his bed where he had been jarred from sleep. His room was pitch black, not a single streak of light peaked out from the hall just outside his door. He reached out through the bond that he and Rey shared, and found silence. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, and reached out further.

_Rey?_

_Ben_.

Relief flushed over him, for reasons unknown.

_Are you okay_? He pressed.

_I'm fine, what do you care_?

_Don't do that, Scavenger. What happened, what was that beeping?_

_Nothing for you to worry about. Goodbye, Ben._

And like that, Rey was gone, her mind silent to him. But Kylo was most definitely worried. There was a hum in the Force, a hum he hadn't felt since.. Kylo stood up quickly, flicking the switch across the room with the force. It was a feeling he hadn't felt since he awakened Rey’s Force on Starkiller. Kylo’s eyes burned as they adjusted to the light, and he threw his robes on as quickly as he could, willing his very prominent erection to rest. He pulled his mask towards him, slipping it over his head before he opened his door. Kylo quickly made his way to the command room of the Finalizer, stormtroopers moving out of his way as fast as they could, fearing the wrath he could inflict. Phasma and Hux were standing together, deep in conversation. They turned quickly in the presence of the Knight, Phasma giving a slight courtsy, Hux staring with his usual face of disappointment and jealousy.

“Our sensors have located an unmarked ship, headed for Lothal,” Phasma reported, “an old x-wing fighter, to be exact.”

Kylo was glad he had the mask on, because behind his smile was a definite look of fear. Why had the girl come so close? She knew they would be looking for her. A thought struck him, just then. Rey had been hiding her thoughts from him the past week, only speaking to him within their dreams.

“Lock on that fighter, Captain,” Kylo commanded. “I'll be taking my shuttle. Send me the fighter's coordinates.”

“Yes, sir,” Phasma obliged, before yelling down at the crew to lock on.

“Remember what happened last time your personal interests got in the way, Ren,” Hux hissed.

“How about you don't let this one blow up the ship, General,” Kylo deadpanned.

Kylo turned back, walking briskly away from the bridge, and worked his way through the Finalizer, making his way to the docks. A group of Stormtroopers followed behind him, almost jogging to keep up. His heavy boots echoed throughout the halls, as he turned to the docking bay. Kylo’s shuttle was ready for him, and he walked up the ramp, six troopers surrounding him. He pulled the pilot out of his chair and sat down, entering the coordinates that Phasma sent to his commlink. The shuttle took off smoothly, and Kylo thumped his fingers on the dash, suddenly nervous with the close proximity to the girl he'd been trying to find for months. He felt through the bond, and found only silence, which was good. No need for Rey to know what was about to happen. Lothal was a puddle hop away, really, and Kylo sailed smoothly and quietly through atmo, low to the ground so Rey would not see him coming. He landed a mile away from her ship, in between rocks from a long ago landslide. Kylo composed himself, relieved to know his saber was clipped to his waist. Would Rey have hers? Kylo silenced all thoughts of Rey, and concentrated on keeping the connection closed, while still feeling for her force signature. The troopers fell in line behind him as he exited his metal steed, but he waved them off.

“Guard the ship,” he commanded, his voice deep and robotic through the module on his mask.

Kylo made his way through the rocky terrain towards where he knew Rey would be. He felt the strong pull of the force…. Kyber crystals? Kylo narrowed his eyes at the thought. He followed the path into the mouth of the cave, and waited. Rey would be back. Kylo nearly jumped as he heard a pebble being kicked. His spine tingled with anticipation. Quiet footsteps were making their way towards him, unknowing of the waiting predator. Just before they reached him, Kylo revealed himself, igniting his newly built lightsaber. A lump grew in his throat as he saw and felt the fear pour off of Rey.

And Rey, oh _Rey_. Kylo glanced at her multiple times from head to toe. Her skin was not as dark as the last time he had laid eyes on her, and she had thickened. Not in a bad way, she very much had the same lean muscle she had on Starkiller, if not more. She was just less…. Emaciated. She was wearing a black flight suit, zipped almost to the top. She had a staff strapped to her back, and she wore it comfortably. Her hair was in the same style, three vertical buns, and yet something was different. There... a long thin braid tucked within a bun. Her padawan braid. Despite the proof of her choice on which side she had chosen, it was her eyes that caught him off guard. They were so full of rage, utterly blissful, calming, rage. The deep brown gazed into his mask, boring into him, but he would not look away. The scavenger would not dominate, not this time. Kylo watched as the young force user locked away her fear, and rage, and buried it, covering it with a steeled face. Rey held her hand out at her hip, and her saber smacked into it. No, not her saber. His saber. She quickly tucked the small sack in her hand into a pocket, and then ignited her saber.

This is how they stood, sabers out, not a single muscle moved. Kylo was growing impatient, and the way Rey was gazing at him reminded him of all the many dreams they had shared. As if on cue, Rey lifted her saber and swung at Kylo. _Finally_. The sabers met in a flurry of sparks and heat, and Kylo easily deflected all of Rey’s attempts to cut him down. It was if she had learned nothing since their battle on Starkiller. The thought of the destroyed base, brought anger welling up in Kylo, and he used it, easily going from a defensive position to attacking. There was a small flash of realization in Rey’s eyes when she finally noticed what Kylo was doing, and oh how he enjoyed it, toying with her. There was no way she was going to win this fight. A thought passed through Kylo, and he slowed. Rey had most definitely found Skywalker, he felt the disturbance in the force, but there was something else. Rey’s fighting had not improved, not with a saber at least. _No kriffing way_ , Kylo thought. The old Jedi wasn't training her. The thought enraged him. Luke had sent her out to die. Kylo stepped back and switched off his saber. Rey faltered, and Kylo watched her face as she was figuring what was happening. “Fight me!!” she screamed at him.

“Fight me, you kriffing coward!” It wasn't the words that stung Kylo, but her voice. It was, broken, defeated. Worn out.

Kylo just shook his head., and tucked his saber back onto his belt.

“I will not fight you, girl.” Rey’s eyes filled with anger, but Kylo kept watching her, his hands at his side, head tilted ever so slightly.

He felt a tiny spark in the connection, but then it was gone, and Rey was charging him. Kylo flicked his wrist at Rey, and she was frozen, saber above her head. Kylo circled around her, calm anger rolling off him.

“Why did you come here?” he asked.

“I'm building my own saber. Luke thought I was ready.”

Kylo froze, even angrier. He grabbed her arm and yanked her to face him.

“Ready?! This is ready? What if it was one of my knights who had come to find you, instead of me, scavenger? What would have happened then? You'd be dead. They would not have held back, or shown mercy. Kriff, even a shock trooper could have taken you.”

“Then why did you? Why did you stop fighting me?” Rey spit out, saber still above her head.

Kylo thought for a couple seconds.

“I wasn't going to waste a life that wasn't ready to die. Skywalker should have been training you. I'm utterly disturbed at the fact that you haven't improved your fighting skills. You are no longer just some scavenger. You need training, or you will be killed. You haven't even tried reversing my hold on you. I can feel it,” Kylo bent down and looked straight into her eyes.

Rey glanced down, for only a second. And Kylo felt a ripple through the bond. Realization struck him.

“You know this, don't you? Skywalker never sent you to make a lightsaber. He never sent you anywhere.” Rey looked back up at Kylo, and he could see the tears welling in her eyes.

“I'm useless. Master Luke is the only one left to train me, and he refuses. He doesn't spar, only teaches forms, and has been teaching me things I could have figured out myself. It's like…”

“He's afraid of you,” Kylo finished her sentence. He saw the opportunity he had been looking for, and he took it.

“Come with me. Come with me back to Starkiller, and I will train you in the ways of the force. I will show you things you have never seen before. You will learn how to control the force around you, and in you. Come with me,” Kylo pressed, moving his masked face closer to Rey’s.

Kylo opened the bond, enough so Rey could feel the truth and sincerity in his statement.

“You will grow powerful. Powerful enough, that the galaxy will quake in fear and awe of you,” Kylo whispered, never taking his eyes off Rey’s.

Kylo could see Rey’s defiance. Her eyes narrowed, and her brows lowered. She looked down at her arm, and Kylo realized he was still gripping it, his gloved fingers digging into her flesh. He immediately let go, and took a step back. Rey looked back up at him, and sighed. Kylo had won.

“Fine. I will come with you, but only so that I may become strong enough to defeat you. I will not be a part of the First Order. The Force is telling me that I'm doing the right thing, and I will not fight it,” the scavenger said, defiantly. Kylo smiled and swiped his hand in front of her face, pushing against her mind with his.

.

.

.

.

Rey awoke, keeping her eyes shut and breathing steady. She could feel the cuffs around her arms and legs of the chair that was identical to the one she was in on Starkiller. A pang of fear stroke through her heart. She had agreed to come with Kylo, and all he had done was knock her unconscious and imprison her…. Again.

Rey growled to herself. Where was that bastard? She kept her side of the bond closed while reaching out for the man, the same way she been doing for the past several months. She had stopped fighting him in her dreams, and they had gotten out of control. She couldn't stop thinking about him, bare chested, hovering over her body, black eyes locked on her through the dark, piercing her soul. She felt a wave of desire in her lower belly, and she tried fighting it off, making sure the walls around her mind were sturdy, no chance of Kylo looking in. The man in her dreams was a different man in real life, wasn't he? There's no way a man who killed his own father, and murdered countless people could be so caring and soft to someone who almost killed him, right? Rey shuddered the thought off and reached out with the force, but Kylo was smart this time, and the stormtroopers were outside her door. Rey was impressed, until she moved the focus of the force to her cuffs, and they popped right off. He wasn’t exactly trying too hard, she guessed. She couldn't feel Kylo anywhere near her, but that didn't mean he wasn't hiding his signature.

_Ben?_ She called out, tentatively.

Nothing but silence on the other side, like a dead end of a comm. The silence almost hurt, and she felt empty without his presence. He had always been there, in the far corner of her mind, giving tips, and teasing, always watching, and always kind, even when she could feel the waves of his rage on the other side. Rey looked around the room for her trusty saber, but it was only her and the chair in the round space. She moved towards the door, and tried to open it. Locked, of course. She didn't know why she was trying to leave the room, he would find her. Maybe it was the chair, the chair she had nightmares about since Starkiller, nightmares she purposefully hid from Kylo, of a monster in a mask. Rey pushed with her mind, and the door opened. She was met by the blasters of 4 stormtroopers.


	2. Hidden Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for this chapter, they get better, I promise. It was awkward to write, especially the beginning.

Kylo retreated from Snoke’s room, and the hologram clicked off behind him. He had put his walls up to keep Rey from seeing and hearing what he and the Supreme Leader were discussing. He knew that she had come here on purpose. Was it to kill him, fight him to the death on his very own starship? He had orders from Snoke, turn the girl to the darkside, at any cost, and then bring her to him. He almost got sick at what else his master had said. If she wouldn't turn, then she was to be used as a breeding whore, bearing force sensitive children. Kylo reopened his connection, seeking Rey’s presence, but he was not expecting what he found. Excitement.

He quickened his pace down the hall, reaching the turbolift. He deepened his connection further, seeking Rey’s sight, and found the four stormtroopers threatening her, pushing her back to her cell, and he could feel the wicked smile on Rey’s face. He withdrew from the connection when he reached Rey’s floor, and commed Captain Phasma.

“Unless you want four less troopers, Captain, ask them to stand down at the girl's cell,” he warned her.

“Yes, Lord Ren,” was all her heard her say before he clicked the comm off again.

He rounded the corner to Rey’s cell, and found the troopers limp on the ground, stunned. He sighed, knowing full well that the cell was going to be empty. He was gone for five minutes, and she had already escaped. Anger ripped through him like a saw, and he sought out her signature, the purest beam of light on this side of the the universe. He found her, not far away, just around the other corner, and she wasn't hiding. She was seeking him out, just as much as he was seeking her. He felt her turn, and start her way towards him. She rounded the corner, and was met with his blazing red saber, even more unstable than the time on Starkiller, since he had to rebuild it. It sputtered and sparked in his grasp, and the red light illuminated around Rey’s face, sparking in her eyes. He saw and felt her terror, and she drew in a breath, and released it, all emotion drained from her body. She took a defensive stance, her arm raised, obviously not afraid to use her power of the force.

“Five minutes of consciousness, and you're already trying to tear my ship apart,” Kylo laughed.

“I came here willingly, and you cuffed me, and locked me in a room like an animal! How is it that you are supposed to train me, when I can't even trust you won't throw me in a cell?”

“I had to make sure your intentions were pure, but I got caught up in other matters before I could get to it. You weren't supposed to wake up so soon. Even then, look at you now. Pretending you know what you're doing. You aim to best me? At a game I've been playing for a very long time? My compassion will not allow you to win this battle. You will lose.”

“You will not defeat me, even in death, I will be one with the Force. You think you are so powerful, even I beat you on Starkiller Base. You are not a fighter. You are just a boy, a scared, angry little boy!”

“No! I am a  _ god!!  _ I will have the galaxy!”

“No one person should have that much power, the Force would never allow it, Ben.”

Kylo fumed at the use of his given name. He struck out with his hand, denting the steel of the hall, the force surging out of him in a shockwave. Rey flew backwards and hit the wall behind her, sliding to the ground. He knew she could feel his anger and rage, but she did not falter from where she held herself propped on the ground.

“That is  _ not  _ my name, girl. You are on my ship, and I will gladly throw you out the airlock. You would be smart to hold your tongue. I will not have such power alone. That, scavenger, is why you are here. We will rule this galaxy,  _ together _ . And then the universe. Can't you see that you can take whatever you like? You and I are two parts of the same coin. Now, why have you come here? So you can give information to the Resistance? Do you think you could just take a ship and fly out of here? You did not come here to train. The truth, scavenger!”

“It  _ is _ the truth! See for yourself!” she admitted, and he was frozen in place as she opened her mind to him, truth ringing out through the bond they shared. She  _ had  _ come to train with him. Relief flooded him, rage dissipating in the air around him, and his temper cooled. He deactivated his saber, and walked to Rey, still on the ground, propped up on her arms, her legs splayed out on the floor against the wall. She flinched as he reached down, and he stopped short.

_ Have I scared her?  _ He panicked.  _ Have I hurt her? _

He fell to his knees and reached at Rey, despite her feeble attempts to pull away, and pulled her up, so she was kneeling in front of him. This whirlwind of feelings, anger, hate, fear, had him reeling as he ran his hands up and down her ribs, watching her face, looking for any signs of pain. He moved to her arms, and his fingers and thumbs meeting, his long fingers reaching completely around her limbs, he moved his way to her upper arm, and felt something with his thumb, a small bump. He ran his thumb back over it, before he realized what it actually was. His gut wrenched. Was this jealousy? Jealousy at the fact that the girl had a contraception unit in her arm? Or was it fear, of what Snoke had commanded of him if she didn't turn. Rey yanked her arm away from him, a blush growing dark red across her cheeks. He didn't look away from where he was staring at nothing in particular, thinking of the things Rey had probably been doing away from him after she slashed him down on Starkiller. He shoved the thought deep into his mind, locking it away. It didn't matter what she did in her free time, even if that meant fucking other men. It's not like they were actually together. All they had shared were explicit dreams, and he had never actually touched her, even now, his hands were gloved. He brought himself back to the present, and looked over at Rey, who had the most curious expression on her face, and it hit him. He had opened the bond to find her, and she had seen every thought that flashed through his mind. He was so thankful that he still had his helmet on, masking the deep red blush that matched Rey’s.

He pushed every soft thought away, locking it inside his mind. Compassion is what lead to his defeat on Starkiller, compassion made him weak.

.

.

.

.

Rey watched the man rise to his feet in front of her. She didn't know what to think about him. One second he was throwing her against the wall, the next he was checking her for injuries, and a split second later he was fuming with jealousy at the feel of the little chip in her arm. She felt Kylo close off his thoughts, leaving just a small portion of his mind in hers, and she did the same.

She looked up at Kylo, not sure what to do next. He turned his back to her, and strode down the hall, away from the now stirring Stormtroopers.

“Where are we going?” she asked, having to jog to keep up with his long strides. She kept well enough behind him, not trusting he wasn't going to shove his saber through her chest at any moment.

“You want to train, don't you? Well, that's what we're going to do, but first you're going to the med-bay to make sure you don't have anything… weird,” he answered before pressing the down button on the turbolift.

Rey had never been in a turbolift, but she was angry at the words Kylo just said.

"What do you mean, weird? There's nothing wrong with me. I'm not diseased,” she spat back at him, anger fuming.

He looked down at her, amused, as the turbolift shot down. Her stomach got queasy, and she leaned against the wall, trying to hold herself up. It felt like a ship falling to a fiery death. She felt curiosity and amusement roll off the dark clad figure, but couldn't see his face through the mask. She swallowed the lump in her throat as the turbolift slowed, and then stopped.

“That's not what I meant. Well, it kind of is. You've been stars know where, hiding out with Luke Skywalker, and before that, you were on Jakku, and you had probably never even seen a doctor while you were there, am I right?”

“Yes,” she admitted, dipping her head down in defeat, embarrassed at the fact she had never seen a physician, let alone had any type of vaccination or medication.“Where are my belongings? My staff, my saber?” Rey asked.

Kylo didn't move as h spoke to her, “They're safe, locked away, for now.”

“Can I have them back?” she asked again, but she went unanswered.

The lift slowed down quickly, and opened its doors to a very bright hall. People in white robes were bustling about, med droids following at their heels. A woman walked up to Kylo, smiling.

“Back so soon, Lord Ren? I figured your wounds would have healed nicely,” the woman said, cautiously yet teasing.

“Thank you Dr. Kleara, but I'm here for her,” Kylo moved, pointing at Rey.

The doctor looked amused.

“I didn't think of you as the kind to have a pet,” Dr. Kleara teased.

“Not a pet, Doctor, watch yourself,” Kylo warned. Something about the way he defended her made Rey smile.

“Right, of course. I'll do an exam and then we'll make sure she's clean,” the woman said, looking away from Kylo and over to Rey.

The woman grasped Rey by the shoulder and pulled her into a room. She felt Kylo’s presence just on the other side of the door, pacing.

“Name?” the doctor asked.

“Rey."

“Rey what?”

“Just… Rey.”

“Alright, Just Rey, strip, and step onto the scanner,” the doctor commanded, looking at her Holopad, and Rey blushed. She had never been naked in front of anyone before.

The doctor saw her hesitation and sighed.

“Look, girl, I don't want to lose anymore droids from the wrath of Lord Ren. Please, do as I say, so we can get this over with, so you and he can leave. There's nothing you have that I don't have, and I've seen it all. I'm a human female, you're a human female. You can close your eyes and think of something else,” the doctor said kindly.

Rey drew in a deep breath.

_ There is no emotion, only peace. _

Rey unzipped her flight-suit and untied her boots, stepping out of the warm black material. The room was cold, and the durasteel floor was freezing on her bare feet. She took another deep breath before removing her underwear and chest wrap, and stepped onto the scanner. A small, glass tube went up around her. She watched the doctor move about her, making eye contact until she looked back at her Holopad, at the information it had to say about Rey.

“Well there's nothing wrong with you internally, your body seems to fight infections pretty well. There's no signs that you've been medicated for anything before. Now, a laser is going to go around you, don't be scared, it just removes body hair and anything else living on your skin,” Kleara informed her.

Just as she said, a green light started from her feet and moved it's way up, and all her body hair fell off, leaving Rey naked and completely bare, except the hair on her head, her eyebrows and eyelashes. Most of her body hair was sunbleached anyways, but the feel of her skin without any was remarkable. The tube went down around Rey, and the doctor held out a pair of pants and shirt.

“Can't I just wear my flight suit?” Rey asked, hoping.

The doctor looked from Rey to the pile of clothes on the floor, before sighing. She threw them in some kind of bin before they were spat back out, a little cleaner than before.

“I don't see why not. Quickly, please, before Lord Ren throws another tantrum.”

Rey raced over to her clothes and threw them on, as quickly as she could. The door opened, and Kylo Ren stepped through just as she was finished zipping her suit. She pulled her boots on, and tied them quickly.

She stood when she was done, and brushed off her knees, even though there was nothing there. Kylo grunted and waved his hand, motioning for her to exit the room.

They walked back to the turbolift, not saying anything. This time, Rey was prepared for the feeling of the rapid descent, ears popping. Her heart began to beat faster as the tube slowed, and finally came to a stop.

They stepped out into a dark hall, a stark contrast to the bright halls on the floors above them. Soft red lights glowed on the walls, illuminating the path. Rey kept far enough behind Kylo that she would be able to see any unexpected attacks coming.

“This is the floor where the Knights of Ren train. We have multiple rooms for multiple uses. The armory is down the the hall, and even farther down are the rooms for the Knights,” Kylo said, pulling down his hood.

Rey nodded, trying to memorize the maze they walked. Kylo stopped in front of a door and waved his hand in front of it, and the door opened with a hiss. The room inside was lit brighter than the hall, but dimmer still than anywhere else in the ship. The dark clad figures all stopped what they were doing, some in the middle of sparring, others were practicing forms with weapons she did not recognize. One in particular caught her eye, a lightsaber, it seemed, it's blade black as space, a white light illuminating around the edge.

“Lord Ren,” one spoke, and they all took a knee.

Kylo stepped away from Rey, exposing her to the knights, and two of them shared a confused look between each other.

“This is Rey, she is my apprentice until further notice. Treat her like our own,” Kylo instructed, and then he waved his hand, dismissing the Knights. It was the first time Kylo had spoken her name, and the way it rolled off his tongue, brought shivers to her spine, and she pushed down the wave of desire, determined not to embarrass herself in front of the stoic knights.

Rey looked around the room, taking in her environment. The room was round, and there were pedastal-like protrusions from the ground in the far corner, all at different heights, mimicking a rocky and uneven surface. On the wall to her left was a rack, where she recognized an electrostaff, and two objects that resembled lightsaber hilts. The ceiling was higher than she expected, and there was a dip in the ground on the left far side of the room, like a large crater. Behind her were stairs that led to an observation deck. She watched as two knights stared her down, a male Twi’Lek and a female Togruta. They whispered to each other and continued watching, the Togruta glaring at her with such hate, that Rey could feel it.

“Azara!” Kylo barked, watching Rey.

She was confused, until a young Togruta male stepped up, and dropped to his knee, genuflecting.

“Introductions, then put Rey through the paces. All forms. Let's see how good she is,” Kylo said, before he walked to the stairs that lined the wall, and climbed onto the observation deck, looking down at Rey.Rey looked back at Azara. The Togruta was young, no older than Rey, and quite obviously an apprentice of some other Knight. His robes weren't quite as dark as the Knights, a more dark, smoky gray. He went through introductions, but I was so focused on the glaring Twi’Lek and Togruta that she only just barely caught their names. The Togruta was Futevi Ren, and the Twi’Lek was Ikiondu Ren. He handed her a training blade, hot enough to burn, but unable to kill.Despite Kylo’s eyes on her, she moved through the forms easily, except for Juyo. Luke didn't teach it to her, and she was new to it. It used parts of multiple forms, including djem sho, the only form she couldn't perfect. Azara was patient with her, but her cheeks still reddened when she felt Kylo’s amusement. Of course he would think her a fool, not knowing all the forms. She moved quickly through the form though, and had it memorized by the end. By the time they were finished, her hair was plastered to her face with sweat, and her flight suit clung disgustingly tight to her body.

Kylo descended from the observation deck and waved his hand at the Togruta, dismissing him.

“Come, it's time to finish for the night,” Kylo said through his voice mod.

Rey's gut twisted in a familiar feeling. She was exhausted, hungry, and nervous. She had no idea what kind of housing Kylo would put her up in. Despite her worries, she followed Kylo out of the hall of the Knights, which confused her. Didn't all the Knights live on that level? The ride up the turbolift was quick, and Kylo never slowed his pace as he stormed through the halls. Rey tried to memorize where they were headed, but there were far too many twists and turns. It reminded her of the time she got lost in one of the old Imperial star destroyers.  They finally came to a halt in front of a door. Kylo waved his hand in front of the panel, and the door opened, and he ushered her into the dark room.

 

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Kylo flipped the switch, and lights flickered on, revealing the contents of his suite. They were standing in the sitting room, a couch, bookshelf, and holovid were the only objects in it, and he's honestly never turned the Holovid on. Connected to the room was the kitchen, and a small table, big enough for two people. The walls of his entire space were dark gray, and every furnishing was black, including the kryo-fridge. The entire space was large enough to move around comfortably, and workout on the floor. 

He pointed towards the sofa.

“You can sleep there, for now. Or the floor. I don't care,” he grunted.

He moved towards the tray of food on the table, and took what he wanted.

"Shower is in there,” he pointed the the wash room.

“And eat,” he gestured at the tray, before he stepped into his room and closed the door behind him.

He leaned against the door, and took off his mask.  He sighed, and pushed the hair out of his eyes. This was going to be a very difficult trial in his journey. He quickly finished his food, before turning in for the night.

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Rey looked around the room. The dark walls made the place feel more like home, like the AT-AT she lived in on Jakku. She looked over the food suspiciously, before grabbing a handful of small berries and shoving them in her mouth. She sat down on the sofa, and pulled her legs up to her chest. It was freezing on the Finalizer, with nothing more than her flight suit. This was going to be a long trial in her journey. 

 

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The next two days continued like this, without much change. In the morning, Kylo would already be gone, with only a droid in his place, telling her her commands for the day. In the morning she would take a simple tour of the ship, avoiding the bridge and all conference rooms. The droid specifically instructed that she must never go to the Knight's level without Kylo. Then she would be ushered back to Kylo’s room where she'd get holopads shoved in her face showing First Order documentaries and propaganda. Then it was lunch, which she ate alone, and then she would be joined by Kylo to go to the training room and do forms with Azara, and be silently judged by the two older knights.

It was the third night on Finalizer, that the routine changed. Kylo was late from his meeting, and Rey was curled on the sofa, shivering, when through her sleep, she heard the door open. She was then cloaked in warmth, and a familiar smell that made her fall deeper into her sleep.

She woke up the next morning, wrapped in Kylo’s cloak, a perfect imprint of his body on the sofa next to her. She didn't ask him about it, nor did he mention it.


	3. Over Her Head

Rey was surprised on her fourth day during training. Instead of Azara, Kylo was in his place. Rey looked around, confused. The others Knights were on the other side of the room, watching them. Rey took a knee, and addressed Kylo, as she was instructed. 

Kylo turned to her, and tilted his head slightly to the side, like a curious animal.

“Fight me.”

She reached for her belt, and her face drooped as she realized that she did not have her saber. Kylo chuckled at her.

He reached his hand out, and one of the hilts from the wall slapped into his gloved hand. He tossed it at Rey, and she caught it effortlessly. She examined the black matte hilt, smooth and comfortable in her hand. She activated the blade, and chirped in surprise as a black blade extended out, humming to life. She twirled the blade in her hand. It was well balanced, and it hummed with every swipe. She held the blade up, inspecting it. She had never seen a lightsaber be any other color besides red and blue, but she knew that there were green sabers too. She had never heard of a black one. Her brows furrowed. It must be a product of the dark side. She wanted to throw the blade across the room and demand her saber, but this is what she came here for. Gain the trust of Kylo Ren and bring him back to the light, or kill him. If she had to learn about the darkside to do that, then so be it.

She raised her eyes to Kylo, and raised her brows, questioning.

“It's called a Darksaber. They were made a very long time ago by the ancient Jedis, and Mandalorians stole their blades and designs. They're one of the few weapons that can fight a Lightsaber, and they're very dangerous,” he informed her.

He walked up to her, and it was all Rey could do to not take a step back in retreat, and put something on the hilt, and the saber dimmed, a more gray color than black. He pulled the hilt of his cross-blade saber from his belt and did the same. He ignited it, and it was a dimmer red, but it still sparked out of control, just as unstable as its owner.

“So we don't lose any limbs,” he teased. He gripped his red blade with his gloved hand, demonstrating, but Rey could still hear a sizzle and smell of burning leather.

Kylo removed his hand, and took one step back, blade pointed down, ready to spar. Rey shook her head at him, and deactivated her saber.

“What now, Scavenger,” Kylo spat, standing straight again, his patience on the brink.

“I won't fight you in a mask,” she almost whispered back to him.

She could feel his anger boil over, and then disappear just as quickly as it came. He deactivated his saber and reached for his helm, and it hissed opened. He raised it over his head, and turned away from Rey, and he placed it on the floor along the wall beside them. Rey could only see the left side of his face, his black hair dangling in front of his eyes, much longer than the last time she saw him. It was different seeing him in person. She had been with him for four days, and she still hadn't seen his face. The way they saw each other in their dreams was the way they wanted to see each other, and she saw Kylo as she last saw him, before she ripped his face in two and left him on Starkiller. But now there was something more primal about his features. More animalistic, and then he turned to face her, his eyes darting away from hers. She took a step back and dropped the hilt of her borrowed saber. An angry scar bisected his face, starting over his brow, down across the bridge of his nose, and down his cheek. She tried to tell herself that the scar didn't help his already uncommon handsomeness, but she was lying. The scar suited Kylo. It turned his face from that of a tortured boy to the face of a more primal man. The tip of a scar peeked out from under his high collar on his neck, and Rey felt a gut wrenching twinge of guilt. She could feel her face contort, from guilt, to sadness, to anger, and back to guilt. Her emotions flooded her, and she tried everything in her power to fight them back.

_ There is no emotion, only peace.  _ She thought over and over again, repeating the mantra.

“Good, that is the beginning, let your emotions rule you. You are more powerful with them than without. Feed off them, use them,” Kylo instructed, reactivating his saber.

He rushed at Rey, while she was still disarmed, and she quickly rolled to the side, hailing the dark saber to her grasp. Kylo was swinging his blade down at her, when she activated hers and parried his attack. The force of his swing jarred her arm and shoulder. She was going to have to be quick if she didn't want to be hit, and she couldn't let him overpower her.  Rey blocked attack after attack, and she knew Kylo had the upper hand in this duel. No matter how she trained with Luke, or what form she used to fight, she was never an exceptional swordsman. She used her staff on Jakku for nearly 15 years, and knew her way around it. She was more confident with the piece of scrap than she ever will be with a lightsaber.  

Rey saw an opening in Kylo’s defenses and took advantage of it, swiping her saber towards his ribs. He deflected it easily, and caught her in her own unguarded flank. The saber burned through her flight suit and into her skin, before Kylo pulled away. If the restrictor hadn't been on, his saber would've sliced her in half. She clutched at her side, breathing heavily, as Kylo circled her, his prey. He twirled his saber behind him, effortlessly, watching her. 

“Use the pain. Draw from it,” he instructed, and she remembered how he beat his bowcaster wound on Starkiller.

She was curious as to why he did it, but now she understands. He draws strength from pain and emotion. Rey took a deep breath and became closer with the force. She and Luke worked quite a lot on her Battle Meditation, and he said it was the only reason she was able to defeat Kylo on Starkiller. She didn't mention that through the bond he opened, even though it was weak, she also used his knowledge of sabers to cut him down, let alone she was completely feeding off the darkside. Rey opened her mind, not caring at this point if Kylo Ren could see straight through her, and began her Battle Meditation. The still melting fabric was hot and sticky on her skin, so she unzipped the flight-suit down to her waist, and pulled her arms out, the only thing under it was her chest wrap. She tied the sleeves around her waist, to keep them out of her way. Ikiondu and Futevi were watching closely, whispering to each other, but she ignored them. She did not have time to be distracted by the older nights. She looked back up at the dark clothed man, and Kylo rushed her again, and this time, she was ready, blocking his attacks with ease, and then she changed her form, surprising him, and sent him into the defense. She slashed and hacked at him, and felt him open his mind wider to her. He pushed her back with the force, and she went skidding across the durasteel. The other Knights were watching the sparring duo now, enthralled with the fact that the young girl put their Master into such a defensive position. Rey snarled at Kylo, and he widened his eyes with surprise. She felt a pang of desire in her belly, no, it wasn't her belly, it was his. Kylo was watching her closely now, and she noticed how he admired the way she moved across the room. She used the distraction and ran at him, slicing, and he blocked every blow. Their blades and eyes locked, just as they did on Starkiller, this time the only light was from his red saber, and it casted a haunting glow across his scarred face, red rings around his black eyes. She felt her saber slipping, ever so slowly down his blade, and he pushed up, her blade now caught on one of the crossblades. His eyes twinkled before she could pull away, and Kylo ripped his arm up, disarming her.

 

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Kylo looked down at the disarmed girl, her eyes wide with shock. He smirked, and she backed away as quickly as he advanced. She raised her hand and pushed him back, and he went sailing through the air, landing on his feet, knees bent, arm out to brace himself, dark hair falling in his eyes. She had hailed the electrostaff to her grip, and she stood, feet wide in stance, one slightly behind the other, the staff in one hand, sparking and crackling behind her back. She was a picture of perfection. Kylo’s eyes replaced the bright blue electric ends with one's of crimson, and the imaginary image took his breath away. Rey was most definitely built to carry a staff. She twirled it in one hand, easily balancing it. She had almost as much time with her staff on Jakku as he did with his saber. Kylo stood and readied himself for another duel. Then he removed his tattered leather glove, it had taken a beating from his demonstration with the lower power saber restrictor and from gripping his hilt with two hands. He gripped it, and yanked his hand out, white against a wash of black. He tossed the glove in the general direction of his helmet. Rey’s eyes stayed on him, not taking the bait of watching his glove. It frustrated Kylo how much she had learned without him, and how much she hadn't learned. He should have been there, from the beginning, teaching her all she needed to know. He was, of course, trained in the Light as well as the Dark, and he would have taught her what he knew from that, also. 

Kylo was growing tired of these games, the constant switching back and forth between defense and offense, as his knights looked on, watching, analyzing.

He ran at Rey, and attacked her in a flurry of spins and jabs. She was fast with the staff, the double ends were useful to block his typhoon. He didn't slow, and rained blow after blow on her, moving her back, away from the door they had entered. She was moving into the low crater in the ground, and he was even more above her now, towering over her. He took advantage of his height and the force of gravity, and his blows became heavier. Rey circled, still on the defense, but Kylo kept pushing them back. Her weapon did not have a restrictor on it, and it's powerful hum echoed throughout the room, and it sparked dangerously every time their blades met. Kylo could feel the heat coming off the electric ends, and he knew all too well the pain that the blue sparks would bring. The fear only made his determination grow, and his attacks became stronger. Sweat stung in his eyes, his hair and clothes now damp. Rey looked much worse, her loose hair plastered to her head, her torso glistening with sweat. Rey was starting to gain elevation, as they made their way out of the crater. Their bond was strong and tight, more powerfully open than ever. She was deep in meditation, her hazel eyes focused on nothing, and yet everything at the same time. He wondered what she was thinking about, remembering every dream he had shared with the girl, the way her body felt in his hands.

He felt her concentration falter, and his moves slowed. He admired the way she twisted and moved with the staff, hypnotized. And he also felt her hesitation. She didn't want to hurt him, afraid of what might happen. Kylo felt her fear of the uncapped ends, and the pain they would cause him. Kylo gave her many opportunities to hit him, and yet, she did not take them. He looked at her through his sweat soaked hair.

_ Do it. Attack. Use your fear. Let it turn to anger, and then power. Do it!  _ He yelled across the bond, and yet, Rey would not hit him.

Kylo surprised Rey by seizing the top end with the Force and flinging it towards his exposed shoulder.

Then Kylo Ren crumpled to the floor, seizing in pain, wave after wave of electricity surging through him. She hit his upper shoulder, and he couldn't feel his fingertips. Fire surged through him, as his muscles constricted where he lay. If she couldn't injure him, he would do it himself. He pulled the force towards him, and got up on one knee breathing heavily, and then pulled himself up all the way.

Then he heard Rey’s screams, and it was the most terrifying sound he had ever heard. He looked up through the pain, and she was on her knees, clutching her arm. An angry red wound spread quickly across her shoulder, surely identical to the one on his. The bond had made sure of it. He tried fighting down the urge to help her. This is how the Knights train. It was harsh, but it was effective. His own pain raced through him, burning through his very core. Rey screamed again as another tremor racked his body, bringing the fire along with it. He couldn't control himself, something inside of him needed her to be safe. Watching her in pain hurt more than the injury he forced her to deal him.

Kylo took a couple deep breaths, and used the pain to muster the strength to not stumble over to Rey. He got to her and forced his legs under him, so he was sitting, and he moved her hand away, hot tears streaming down her face. He was angry at himself, for reasons he didn't know. He wanted to protect the girl, keep her from harm, and by letting his anger and temper get the best of him, he had been wounded, and wounded her too. He knew it had to have been the bond, their minds were open to each other, fully and completely, but she was focused on battle, and he was focused on her. He could have used the opportunity to dig into the little head of hers and find out the real reason she was here, but to do that she would see why he was so willing to accept her as an apprentice.

His knights had moved closer to watch the spectacle that was Kylo Ren and Rey, and were perplexed with the events unfolding in front of them. He pulled his other glove off with his teeth, and reached up to her. Kylo still couldn't move his injured arm, but he gently used his other to check her wound.

Fire shot through him as he finally made skin to skin contact. He could feel it through the bond that she had felt it too. His fingers tingled as they grazed across her skin, almost like little sparks were igniting everywhere their skin made contact.

“Jacen, get a medical droid,” Kylo barked to his second in command. The man glanced between him and Rey, confused.

“Now!” he commanded, and the Knight snapped to attention, running to the door of the training room.

Rey was still sobbing from her wound, and he knew she didn't mean to cry. He could feel her embarrassment at crying in front of him and the Knights, but he was not displeased with his new apprentice in any way. The pain of the electrostaff was shocking, in the most literal terms, and even he could not fight the pain whenever he was hit with it. Any amount of secondhand pain would surely hurt. He felt the exhaustion of their day of sparring taking effect on Rey, and her barriers broke even further.

Kylo met her eyes, puffy and red from crying. Something inside Kylo Ren cracked just then, a box locked deep away inside his mind where he tucked any amount of sentiment, or adoration.The girl he was looking at was not his enemy, in any way, and he knew he could not bring himself to hurt her again. Their bond had grown stronger over the months that they were separated, and he had grown attached to the young Jedi. He knew she hid their bond from her master, just as he hid it from his.

He wiped the tears off her face with his good hand, as a medical droid made its way to them. The droid looked from Rey to Kylo, analyzing the wound on Rey’s arm, and then the wound on Kylo’s, through the torn and searing cloth on his shoulder. The droid moved towards him, but he shook his head and pointed at Rey.

“Her first,” he commanded the droid.

The droid stopped it's advances with a confused beep. All the droids on the ship were reprogrammed to do as Lord Ren commands, despite what other programming tells them. They had lost many med droids in Kylo Ren’s tantrums, so the techs took matters into their own hands.

The droid turned back to Rey and began work on her shoulder, cleaning it and spreading a salve over it. It noticed the burn on her side from the saber, and began picking away the melted fabric. The droid gently placed a large bacta patch over both wounds, before backing away with away satisfied beep.

 

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Rey looked across at Kylo. His injured arm was limp in his lap, and his eyes were frantically searching hers. Their bond was still open, but less so than when they were sparring. The droid was finishing something on her waist, and something cool was placed over both her wounds. The droid moved away, sounding satisfied. 

_ Did our bond do this?  _ She asked the man across from her.

_ Yes, I do believe so.  _ Even in her mind, Kylo’s voice sounded broken, torn. In this moment, he wasn't a murderer or a monster, just a wounded man on the ground in front of her. He looked at her differently, since she had stopped sobbing. It was more than just tolerance now, more of… adoration? The thought made Rey shudder.

She watched as the droid moved to Kylo, cutting off his layers of clothing. Kylo sat up straight, his gaze never leaving hers. He was left in nothing but his black pants and boots, his chest bare to Rey. It was the first time she had seen him bare chested in real life. The Kylo from her dream had a flat tummy, and it was smooth, no scars or flaws. Real life Kylo, on the other hand, was a completely different story. His body was riddled with scars, from small nicks to large gashes, tearing over the planes of his torso. His pecs stuck out, and where Rey thought he would have a flat tummy, she was mistaken. This was much better. His stomach was ripped, like a washboard, muscles rolling with every breath. His abs ended in a V that continued under his pants.  _ Training as a Knight for so long would do it,  _ she thought, hopefully to herself. She looked up, and realized he had been watching her eyeball him like a piece of candy. His shoulder was red and angry, a bloody gash where the blade end of the staff had cut him. The edges of the skin were burned from the electricity and the mark had spread a lot further than hers. It went almost up to his neck, and down into his armpit, and reached just to his nipple. It surely had spread over his shoulder and down the other side of his back.

_ Why did you do it _ , she asked, but all she got was silence in response.

_ Don't ignore me, why did you seize my staff? You hurt yourself! _

_ So that you may learn that pain and anger lead to strength and to never hold back. Never show mercy. _

Kylo kept a straight face as the droid fixed his wounds. It injected something into his arm, and she watched it as it ran through his veins, turning them from blue to purple, as the solution made its way to his fingertips. He wiggled his fingers, and smiled. Rey smiled back at him. She followed the purple back up his arm, as the solution moved to rest of his system, and noticed a bump on the inside of his arm. It matched the bump in hers. A contraceptive unit. Her face dropped, and she glared at him. He had silently judged her just earlier that week for having one, and here he is, sporting his own. Kylo followed her gaze to the chip in his arm, and his smile broadened.

“We don't want hundreds of little versions of me running around the galaxy, now, do we?” he teased at her, and her gut wrenched.

Hundreds. Rey suddenly remembered who Kylo Ren was. A murderer, bringing death and destruction everywhere he went. Hundreds of women. She felt disgusted, and had to quickly swallow down the bile rising in her throat. Her memories of her nights on Jakku came flooding back to her. She learned very quickly that as a female she mustn't wander alone at night. She was able to defend herself whenever she was ambushed and she felt sick again. All those women, helpless against Kylo Ren’s advances. How they must have crumbled and given in to him, only hoping it would end quickly.

Rey was drug away from her thoughts, violently. The face of the man in front of her made her want to scream and cower. It was red as the Jakku sun. His eyes were blacker than ever, and she could feel dark tentacles reaching out from him. He was consumed by the darkness. He stood, despite the protests of the med droid, and raised his injured hand. Rey felt a tightening around her throat, as it pulled her up, she tried to fight back against it, pushing out with the light, but the grip only got tighter. Kylo walked up to her, closer than he's ever been, mouth brushing against her ear.

“I have  _ never  _ touched again woman against her will, Rey. I haven't done anything that they didn't  _ beg  _ me for,” Kylo said through gritted teeth, and then Rey was on the floor, released from his grasp. Kylo spun around and headed towards the door, summoning his helmet from across the room.

“Let's go, now,” he commanded, and Rey scrambled up to follow, keeping her head down.

She sent a silent thought out to Luke Skywalker, hoping by some miracle he could hear.

_ I'm in way over my head, Master. _


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo led Rey through the halls, and stopped in the supply room. He pulled out a black cloak, and wrapped himself in it. He handed one to Rey, and then slipped his helmet over his face with his good arm. It hissed into place, and he was relieved to be back into its dark embraces. What had happened in the training room had gotten too friendly and personal. He looked at Rey, and stopped. She was wrapped in the dark cloak, and it was dragging behind her. The sleeves were many times too long, and it swallowed her. Kylo pressed his face into the wall, his forehead touching the cool metal of his helmet, and composed himself. Rey was everything he ever dreamed of, wearing the black cloak of the Knights of Ren. He turned again, and headed towards the turbolift. He made sure not to look at Rey, as they shot up the many floors of the star ship.

They finally lurched to a stop, and Kylo stepped out, walking with a purpose. They were exhausted, and the sooner he could get to his chambers, the better. He heard Rey jogging behind him, and he turned the last corner into his hallway. He put the pin into his door, and stepped through, waiting for Rey to follow.

“Come,” he commanded, and lead her to the wash room. “Shower.”

He watched Rey look around, eyes big. He reached past her, leaning close, and took a towel out of the little door behind her. He handed her the fluffy gray towel, and nodded towards the shower, before stepping back.

“I'll have clothes that fit you sent up,” he promised, watching for a reaction.

Rey looked from him to the shower, and back to him. She held the towel back towards him.

“I'm fine, thank you,” she said, looking down, and Kylo felt her anxiety.

He sighed, done with her insecurities. He knew she also did this in the med bay, days ago, not wanting to be undressed in front of the doctor.

“I'm going to be in the kitchen, Rey, take a damn shower. Now,” he ordered, and left her in the washroom, making his way back to the kitchen.

He heard the water turn on, and he reached for his Holopad, and ordered their dinner and a change of clothes for Rey, sending her approximate measurements. He looked around his small suite, and over to the sofa that Rey had been sleeping on the past few nights. He never got any sleep when she was cold, at least that's the excuse he told himself for why he did what he did. He had a long meeting and hard training the day before, and he was too tired to make it to his room, so he gave her his cloak, and passed out on the sofa next to her last night. Compassion wasn't involved at all.

His door beeped, and he waved it open, allowing the service bots to bring in their dinner and Rey’s new clothes. They were black, and he chuckled. She was going to be ecstatic about that. The bots left, and Kylo started arranging the food on the table. He was about to pick up his Corellian Apple when the water shut off in the wash room.

He looked at Rey’s clothes. They weren't exactly the kind of thing you'd want to sleep in. He took his helm off, and brought the clothes to his room and set them on his dresser. He started digging around in his drawers, until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a black tee, one he used at his home on Coruscant when he's not on the Finalizer. He dug through her pile and found the underwear they provided her. He scoffed at the baggy fabric. It's like they were trying to dress a priestess. He tossed them behind him, and dug deeper into his clothing, until his hand touched soft, silky fabric. They were the smallest pair of underwear he had and he never wore them, because they were too constricting for his likes. As an afterthought, he grabbed a pair of his sleeping pants. He took the clothes to the bathroom door. And knocked.

“Uh…” was all he heard Rey say.

“I have clothes,” he informed her.

The bathroom door cracked open, steam pouring into the hallway, leaving just enough for Kylo to catch a peek of Rey wrapped in his towel. He held the clothes out for Rey, and she snatched them from his hand and closed the door again.

He waited until the door opened this time, revealing an almost naked Rey. She held his pants back out towards him.

“They're too long. I didn't want to ruin them by stepping on them,” she explained, blushing. His underwear were tight on her thighs, and the shirt she wore slipped off one shoulder, and hung below her hips like a short dress. The gray towel was twisted on her head, holding all her hair up.

Kylo moved to the side, and allowed her out of the washroom. He followed her to the kitchen, perplexed by the way her soft feet made little scratching noises against the floor of his room, and the little hairs on the back of her neck that weren’t wrapped in the towel dropped the tiniest amount of water onto her shirt. She stopped at the table and he motioned for her to sit. He set his pants on the kitchen counter, and sat across from her at the table, his long legs brushing up against hers on the other side. She flinched away at the contact, and his stomach twisted. She was right to be scared of him, but this scared?

Kylo watched Rey as she looked at all the food laid out on front of her, and then across at him. It would be the first meal they ever shared.

Kylo leaned back in his chair and reached again for his apple, taking a large bite. Rey watched him take a bite out of it, and he chewed slowly. It was the only apple on the tray. The kitchen kept them specifically for him. He would stop by at any time of day and take one from the kitchen. It was one of the only things from his childhood that he refused to give up.

He swallowed his bite, and then looked back up at Rey, his heart stung. This girl was going to be the death of him, and he knew it. He held the apple out to her, turning it so the side he hadn't bitten off was showing. She furrowed her brows, looking from him to apple, contemplating.

“Damn it, Rey, try the apple,” he commanded, hitting his other first on the table.

Rey jumped at the noise and snatched the apple from his hand. It was huge in her hands, and there's no way her little mouth could start on the clean, round side of the apple, and she knew it too. She turned it and continued to eat where he bit his piece out.

There was something about the way she licked her lips after the first bite, that made desire crash over him. He gripped the armrest of his chair, and breathed slowly. Rey took another bite of the apple, before offering it back to him. He swiped it from her hand, and took another bite, right where she had just taken hers and then handed it back.

_ Finish it,  _ he spoke through the bond, still chewing.

Rey didn't hesitate and finished the apple quickly, leaving nothing but the core. Kylo put his hand out, and she placed the core in his hand. He tossed it behind Rey’s head into the waste bin. He looked back at what was on the table. They each had a steak sandwich, made with thin slices of grazer meat, vegetables from Naboo were also on it, and it was covered in a tangy sauce. He picked his up, and started eating, ravenous from the exertion of earlier that day. Rey followed his lead, and started on her sandwich. They finished their meal in silence, every time Kylo looked at Rey, she was already looking, and vice versa.

Rey wiped her face with the back of her hand, and Kylo rose from his chair, putting all the dishes and scraps back onto the tray, and walked it over to the tray slot for the service droid to pick up. Rey was still sitting on her chair, legs crossed under her, and she was running the fingers of her good hand through her damp hair, towel on her lap. She pulled a snag and winced. He felt the dull ache of her sore arm, and Kylo watched her struggle with her long brown hair, before something inside him finally gave in, and he went to his room to fetch his comb. His bed called to him as he entered his dark room, and he ignored the feeling, grabbing his black comb and walking back to the kitchen.

Rey almost jumped out of her seat when he pulled the comb gently through her hair. She straightened her back, and Kylo could feel her fear, and almost feel her pulse quicken. She relaxed after a while, slumping down into her chair. Head tilted back, just enough for him to see her face. He had to crouch down to run the comb through the ends of her hair. Rey’s brown locks were finally combed through and untangled, and Kylo couldn't stop himself from doing the braid he knew so well, but he couldn't remember how he learned to braid, the memory wasn't clear.

Kylo held her braid in one hand, and reached for her wrist with the other, knowing her black hair ties would be there. He raked his teeth up the inside of her wrist, and he could feel Rey’s heart jump, pumping more blood into her veins, faster and faster. He snagged a tie with his teeth and pulled it over her hand, and then tied her braid in place. He watched it swing, back and forth, like a pendulum as he let it go.

“Thank you,” Rey finally spoke, feeling for the braid, surprised at his skill.

Kylo grunted back at her. He needed to get in the shower. He wasn't allowed to feel these things for this girl. Sentiment wasn't allowed, love made people weak, and Sith couldn't love. Kylo moved quickly to the washroom, stripping himself.

The water was hot, quite hot, exactly how he liked it, and he scrubbed away the evidence of the day. He leaned his head on his arm against the tile of the shower, letting the hot water run down his back, over the many scars. Some of them were newer, still puffy and red, punishment from his failures on Starkiller. His bowcaster wound had healed, the only evidence was a large pink scar. The scars across his opposite shoulder and neck were perfectly lined with the scar across his face, the final blow from Rey, before the planet pulled them apart from each other. The bacta patch on his shoulder kept the hot water from stinging his new wound, yet he wanted to feel the pain of it, but he might hurt Rey in the process, their bond stronger than ever. His toes curled as he thought of the girl, half naked in his chambers. Kylo pushed the thought away and slammed the water off, before he wrapped a towel around his waist. He shook his hair out, flinging water across the washroom. He slowly opened the door and looked over at the table. Rey wasn't where he had left her. He let his anger take over. Of course she would escape while he was in the shower. She left him, again. He stormed into the kitchen, checking the sofa, making sure she was actually gone, and turned back to his room to throw on his clothes before searching for her. He kicked his door open, and then stopped.

There was a small bump on his bed, wrapped under his black blankets, a steady rise and fall coming from it. Kylo immediately relaxed, mentally kicking himself for panicking so. Of course she didn't leave, she was his new apprentice. But she was much more than that to him. A reoccurring dream flashed in his mind, of he and Rey, standing together, wrapped in gray robes, before thousands of people, bowing to their leaders. Rey’s dark hair was loose, moving in the slight breeze, and she leaned against Kylo, his arms wrapped around her, whispering in her ear, “Even the stars will bow before us, my love.”

Kylo was pulled back into the present by the sound of Rey rolling over in his bed. He moved to his dresser, and pulled out his clothes. The Finalizer was much colder at night than his home on Coruscant, and he had to sleep with pants and a shirt on. He thought of Rey, bare-legged in his bed. He dropped his towel, and pulled his clothes on. Rey was still sleeping when he walked to the other side of the bed, and lifted the blankets. He crawled underneath them, within an arm's length of Rey, and he settled his head into his pillow. He turned towards Rey, watching her back rise and fall. He tucked an arm underneath his head, admiring the girl in his bed. So many things had happened within four days. Rey agreed to be his apprentice, their bond grew immensely, and now here she was, sleeping peacefully in his bed. He ached to reach out and touch her, but decided not to wake her, and scare her off into the sitting room. Instead, he closed his eyes, and let sleep wash over him.

Kylo woke up, startled. There was a weight leaning against him, pressed up to his chest. He was about to push it off when he caught sight of Rey’s brown hair. He immediately relaxed, and looked down at her. Their legs were tangled together under the blankets. Her back was pressed up against his chest, and her ass was pressed against him. One of his arms was tucked underneath her head, like a pillow, the other dropped over her body, holding her close. They hadn't shared a dream last night, but he had his own. It was of the little girl in Luke's academy, following him into the woods. They sat in silence as he braided her hair, her little body sitting in his lap. He sometimes had dreams like this, from when he was Ben Solo, but he couldn't quite remember the name of the girl, or what she really even looked like. All he could remember was that she was his only friend, especially on his darkest days. She was never scared of him, even when he practiced with his red saber in the woods.

Rey moved beside him, ever so slightly, and it brought him from his memories of the dream. The clock by his bed said 0500 hours. It was still early and they had a long, cold night. He nestled his face next to Rey’s head, and breathed in the smell of her hair. His heart could have melted out of his chest as he let his adoration out of the locked box.

If sentiment felt this good, he didn't care if he was weak. All he wanted to do was hold her, here in his bed, wrapping her in his arms forever.

Sleep came quickly again, and allowed himself to sink into its dark grasp.

He opened his eyes, and found Rey had turned, facing him, and she was watching him. He knew it was a dream, some things about his room weren't quite right, and there was a soft glow of light. He always slept in pitch darkness. Rey must've been dreaming about him for him to get pulled here.

She was tracing his scars across his chest, and her cold fingers sent chills down his spine. He watched her, unmoving. They were sharing this dream, when in real life, she was wrapped in his arms, pulled close to his body.

She looked up, almost surprised to see him watching her.

“I was wondering when you'd sneak into this dream,” she whispered, avoiding eye contact.

"You know as well as I do that I couldn't have come unless you invited me,” he said back, defending himself.

Rey stopped tracing his scars and dropped her hand, sighing. She turned and looked up at the ceiling.

“I don't know what I'm doing here, Ben. I can't be here. I think I made a terrible mistake of not telling Luke about our bond. I'm supposed to be a Jedi, we can't feel… anything for another person, not like this. I'm.. I'm scared, Ben,” she whispered.

The way she said that she was scared struck a nerve in Kylo. He turned over, so he was hovering over her, his arms supporting him. He began kissing down her neck.

“You have nothing to fear from me, Rey. I've only ever wanted this. Us, together. Ruling the galaxy, as one,” he whispered. She had heard it before, the prophecy, she just didn't want to believe it.

“I won't ever turn to the darkside, Ben, you know it as well as I do. The light called to me, as the dark called to you,” she said back.

Fear and bile rose in his chest, and he struggled to swallow it. Snoke wanted him to breed her, like some common whore, forcing her to bear his children, if she would not turn. He pushed the thought away.

“I know, love. Two sides to one coin,” he whispered, before he bent down and kissed her. It wasn't the first time he had called her “love” but this time it meant something different to him. He had always said it to gain her trust, but now it felt like something else, and he couldn't put his finger on it. Of course he didn't love her. Love made people weak, look at his father, he was cut down, trying to save the boy he loved, and bring him back to the woman he loved.

Rey eagerly kissed him back, pressing her hips upwards. Ben clasped both her wrists in one hand and held them up, pressing them against the wall. He moved his mouth down her clavicle, nipping and sucking, leaving red marks that would have stayed if they weren't dreaming. Rey froze underneath him, and he felt her fear again.

“No, Ben,” she pleaded.

He immediately let go of her and rolled off the bed, standing now.  He didn't lie when he said he'd never touch a woman against her will, even if it was just a dream. He was concerned, had he hurt her?

Rey pulled herself up, and wrapped herself in the blankets.

“We can't do this, not now, not anymore,” she almost cried, looking up at him with her wide hazel eyes.

Kylo stood, unsure of what to say.

“It's just, I can't. I'm training to be a Jedi, plus I'm kind of your apprentice now, right?” she tried explaining, but Kylo still didn't understand.

This is what he had been waiting for, her to come back to him, and they could be together, fully and completely. He could care less if she was a Jedi and he was a knight, but the way Rey looked on his bed, so defeated and helpless, hurt him more than he could ever imagine. Kylo sat down on the bed bedside Rey, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, so she was tucked up beside him, leaning against the wall with him. They stayed there, in silence, until the dream ended.

.

.

This time when Kylo woke up, it was to the sound of his comm going off, no doubt from General Hux. He pushed the decline button with the force, hoping it didn't wake Rey. 

She was still huddled against his chest, and they hadn't moved since he last woke up. He looked down, confused at his bare chest. Had he removed his shirt last night? Had  _ she  _ removed his shirt last night? He shrugged the thought away, and looked above her head to the table by the bed. The clock now said 0900 hours, meaning the service droid had already brought breakfast. Kylo is usually up and productive at 0600, and he felt lazy still being in bed despite how late they stayed up. 

Rey stirred in front of him, and he felt her wake up. Just as he was when he first awoke, she was startled at the pressure on her body, and the arms wrapped around her. She shrieked in surprise, and tried to roll away, but Kylo held tight. He hushed her.

“Calm down, Rey. You did this, not me,” he informed her, and he wasn't lying. He was still on his half of the bed, even more so than he was last night, almost on the edge. Rey had to have moved over to him in the night, most likely seeking his body heat.

This time when Rey pulled away, Kylo let her go, and she sat up. He had to suppress a laugh at the look of her hair, the loose pieces falling out of the braid, and the short pieces around her face stood up everywhere. Rey turned her face and looked at him, scowling. She must have felt his amusement. Her face changed from anger to something more childlike, a huge smile spreading across her face.

“You need to see your hair,” she laughed at him.

He had gone to bed with wet hair, and surely it looked wild. He ran his fingers through it, trying to tame his wild mane, but it was no use.

He sat up and threw the blankets off them, and grabbed Rey’s hand. She flinched with surprise, but followed him as he lead her to the kitchen, where a tray of food was waiting. He let go of her and motioned for her to sit. But Rey had stopped in the hall, hand clasped to her mouth. He felt her grief, and shock, and it hit him like a freighter in warp speed. He stumbled back, bumping into the kitchen counter. Rey walked up to him, and grabbed his shoulders. He kept his hands still at his sides, unsure of what to do. Rey turned him around, and he flinched, gooseflesh covering every inch of skin, as her icy fingers traced over the scars on his back. The long burns of an electrostaff started at the tops of his shoulders, and ended at the lower end of his back, where his pants were tied around his waist. He swallowed the lump in the throat, trying to remain calm, but he could feel the anger very slowly, start boiling, like a simmering broth.

“Who did this to you?” Rey whispered, and he heard the sadness echoing in her voice.

He swallowed again, afraid of his voice cracking in front of the girl.

“Supreme Leader Snoke did. As punishment,” he paused, remembering his grandest of failures, “for my failures on Starkiller.”

Rey’s hand recoiled from his back. 

“But, why? You were injured, the bowcaster….” she began defending him, but he cut her off. 

“For letting an untrained scavenger, from the junkyard planet of Jakku, best me, and for my compassion, for not killing her when I should have, in the very beginning of the fight. Snoke believes it was what lead to my defeat… my inability to cut her down. So I was punished, before my wounds were fully healed, so that I could remember that day, and make sure it was never repeated.”

He could feel Rey’s guilt, as if it were his own, and he flipped around, grabbing her shoulders. 

“Do not feel pity for me, Rey. I do not regret letting you live. I do not regret any of it,” he told her looking into her hazel eyes, which were now wet with tears. 

“I'm sorry,” was all she whispered, before wrapping her arms around him. 

Kylo didn't know what to do with himself. He was never shown this kind of affection, not since he was a child. He did the only thing he could think of, and wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her soft hair. His simmering anger cooled, and was replaced with… something he couldn't describe. He cleared his throat, and pulled Rey away.

“Breakfast?” he asked. 

Rey nodded her head, and he lead her to the table. Once again, there was only one Corellian apple on the tray, so he took a knife from a kitchen drawer and cut it in half, before giving it to a smiling Rey. They sat in silence, the tension from earlier quickly replaced with hunger. She finished her meal quickly, only eating a little before getting up and moving to the sofa in the sitting room. 

Kylo looked up from his meal, “Do you not feel well?” he asked, worried. If his apprentice was getting sick, he'd need to know.

“I just don't eat a lot in the mornings, it makes me feel sick throughout the day. Luke says it probably has something to due with the fact that I only had one meal a day on Jakku, and that was in the evenings,” she said matter of factly. 

It made sense to Kylo, mostly. He continued eating, watching, as Rey picked up his Holopad that was on the arm of the sofa. He swallowed quickly, unsure of what she would see, as he didn't remember what he had been looking at last. 

“What's on Coruscant?” she asked, brimming with curiosity.  

“My personal home,” he answered, spooning more oatmeal into his mouth. 

“Like, you live on Coruscant?” she asked again. 

“Mhm,” he managed with a mouthful of food. 

Rey made a humming noise, thinking about who knows what. It was amazing how quickly she became comfortable around him. He swallowed and spoke again, “My main base of operations is there. I only come here a couple of weeks every couple of months. I hate the Finalizer. It's freezing and I hate people,” he informed, before adding, “and I especially hate Hux.”

And as if he had summoned him, Kylo’s door slid open, revealing a pale faced man with red hair, panting slightly. 

“Well, look who it is,” Kylo hissed, standing from his meal. “For what do I owe the pleasure of you barging into my chambers, General Hux?” 

The General looked around the room, his eyes resting on Rey, who had sat up in the chair with surprise. The General's eyes widened when he caught sight of her, half naked, Holopad in her hand. She had been quite comfy on Kylo’s sofa before Hux had barged in, and then a Kylo, shirtless in the room with the Rey, unmasked. 

“Is this how we treat prisoners now, Kylo Ren? Give them our clothes and a holopad, and allow them to relax in our rooms?” Hux snarled. 

“Come here, Rey,” he ordered at the girl in the sofa, and she quickly climbed over the back of it, before stepping behind Kylo, hiding her legs and face from Hux. 

“First, she's not our prisoner. She's my new apprentice. Maybe I should take the holopad from her. Keep her from recruiting more of your stormtroopers,” he deadpanned. “Second,” he said, moving closer to Hux and lowering his voice, “Don't you ever, come barging into my chambers, ever again, do you hear me?” 

Kylo watched Hux swallow, his face turned from anger to regret, and then to defiance. 

“I commed you earlier, Kylo Ren, and you ignored me. I was trying to inform you that there was talk of an uprising on Yavin 4, most likely Resistance. The rebels attacked our troops in the dead of night and ran off with supplies,” Hux informed him. 

“And you had to come to me? Jacen or Keion could have easily handled the task,” Kylo spat at Hux. 

“I figured you would want to know first,” Hux said, almost apologetically. 

Kylo Ren waved him off, “Leave us. I'll talk to Jacen this afternoon.” 

He watched the other man walk out the door, and waved his hand behind him, making the door hiss shut. 

“So that's Hux?” Rey asked from behind him.

He turned to face her. 

“Yes, that's the rat of the man named Hux. He thinks he's above my station, and he continually runs to Snoke, like a child. He can't do anything for himself, and he's always looking for approval and attention,” Kylo said, pulling the collar of Rey’s shirt to the side to inspect her bacta patch. All she did was grunt a reply, thinking. She was always thinking, the gears in her little head were perpetually grinding. 

“Get dressed,” he commanded her, before putting the remnants of their breakfast on the tray and setting it in its slot. 

He could hear her changing in his room, as he went to the Holopad, and unlocked it, looking at the screen she opened. It was all list of supplies that he was going to send to the service droid in his home, to pick up while he was gone. A thought occurred to him, and he typed in more items, before sending the list, and locking the pad. He heard Rey walking down the hall, and turned towards her. Her hands were on her hips, her weight shifted to one leg. 

“All they could find was black?” she complained. She was wearing tight black leggings, a black undershirt, and a black tunic. She had arrived in black boots, and those were also on. She looked marvelous. 

Kylo smiled, and passed her in the hall, going into his room to change. Her night clothes were in a pile in the corner of his room, and he smiled. He stripped himself, aware of the open door, and pulled on his clothes for the day. His long black robe went on last, and he walked out to the sitting room, where Rey had his helmet in her lap, fingers tracing all the lines and planes in the chrome. The one he had when he met her was destroyed on Starkiller. He had a replacement made in exact likeness. He pulled it from her grasp, and it landed in his bare hands. She made an audible complaint, but he ignored her, turning to press a button on the wall. A drawer popped out and he took out a pair of black gloves, and he slipped them over his hands. 

“Ready?” he asked her, raising his eyebrows. 

Rey rubbed her hands up and down her arms, warming the skin, trying to shoo away the goosebumps. Kylo walked back to his room, and grabbed what he needed. He walked back to Rey, surprising her by wrapping her up in the dark, sleeved cloak that he had gotten yesterday from the closet on the Knights’ floor. She stuck her arms through the holes and rolled the sleeves as flat as she could, just enough so if she reached out, she could grab something without being hindered by the fabric. 

She pulled the hood up over her head, a shadow over her face, and nodded, answering his previous question. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you there, yes I'm talking to you, reader. There's plot at the beginning of this chapter, but the rest is just nasty smut, so you can skip it if you don't want to read it. But who am I kidding, we're all here for the smut, right?

 

Kylo led Rey out of the room and into the hall. She had to jog to keep up, so he slowed his pace slightly, until she was briskly walking beside him. They rounded another corner, and entered the bridge of the ship. Phasma was speaking to a couple troopers, away from the group, and Hux was speaking to Kylo’s second in command, Jacen, and Kylo felt a twinge of anger. Didn't he tell Hux that he’d speak to the Knight later this afternoon? The other Knight was wrapped in black, just like his master, but he was shorter, and more heavily muscled, his medium length blond hair was messy. The knight turned when he felt his master's presence, and took a knee. 

“Lord Ren,” the knight said, before rising. He looked at Rey, and didn't take his eyes off of her. 

Kylo could feel Rey shift under the other knight's blue eyed gaze. 

“Rey, this is Jacen Ren, he's my second in command. If you ever can't find me, go to him,” Kylo spoke quietly, the voice mod changing his voice. “He's like…” Kylo stopped, before finishing quiet enough for only Rey to hear. “He's a brother.”

Jacen glanced back over at Kylo at the mention of his name, but he was still awestruck by the small woman in front of him. 

Kylo watched as Rey strode up to Jacen, lowered her hood, confidently extending her hand. Jacen took a step back, not knowing what to expect. He had of course, witnessed her throw the most powerful of the Knights across the room with the flick of the wrist. She stopped in front of him, smiling. Kylo watched a slow smile creep up on his dear friend's face, and he took Rey’s hand. He bent his head down, and kissed the top of it.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Rey,” Jacen spoke. 

“And you,” Rey’s voice chimed, making the smile grow bigger on his brother's face. Rey moved back to Kylo’s side. Hux had watched the exchange closely, as did the other officers in the bridge. 

Jacen walked over to Kylo and nodded his head in greeting. 

“I'll be leaving for Yavin IV,” he informed Kylo, “some kind of uprising.” 

“Yes, it's something I believe you'll handle quickly,” Kylo smiled. 

Jacen dismissed himself, and left the bridge. 

Kylo went through his usual activities listening to Hux ramble about Resistance movements and the improvements on his plans for the new Starkiller Base. Kylo didn't like the first one. The empire nor the First Order had any luck with large, planet destroying weapons, no matter how big, and he felt it was a waste of time and materials to build another. Let alone the fact that millions of lives were wasted when Hux destroyed the Hosnian system. He could have easily fallen asleep behind his helmet.

Kylo was fully aware of Rey around him, taking in all the information she could, looking around the bridge, trying to memorize everything. She said please and thank you to the troopers who offered her a drink, or a seat, or anything, and she was polite to everyone around her. By the time Hux had finished his rambling, Rey had made herself comfortable with one of the pilots, discussing mods and what it was like to control such a ship. Phasma walked over to Kylo from where he was watching Rey. 

“She does boost morale, sir.”

Kylo smiled, hidden under his helmet. 

“Indeed she does, Captain.”

Time was passing slowly, and Kylo had felt the urge to train with Rey. He cleared his throat, and her head popped up, stopping her conversation with the pilot. He flicked his head towards the door, and she rose to her feet, waving goodbye to the pilot, before climbing the stairs to meet Kylo. 

.

.

.

.

Rey was in awe at the sight of the bridge. She had stayed at Kylo’s side until she got bored with General Hux’s ramblings, so she moved further out onto the bridge, where she found one of the pilots. He smiled at her tentatively, unsure of how to greet her. She smiled back at him, and sat down beside him, asking him how it was to fly something like the Finalizer. They were deep in conversation when she heard Kylo clear his throat behind his voice mod. Her head snapped up and she looked at him, beside the silver plated Captain Phasma. He nodded towards the door, and she rose from where she had been sitting by the pilot, she waved at him, before running up the stairs to Kylo’s side. 

“How about some sparring?” he asked her, leading her through the halls. 

Rey stopped walking, waiting for Kylo to turn towards her. 

“Is your arm okay to spar?” she questioned. Hers was still sore, so his had to hurt as well. 

Kylo shrugged, “I'll live. I've fought through worse.” 

He was right. He had taken a bowcaster shot straight on, and had battled Rey on Starkiller, all the while bleeding out, but she still didn't want him to be in pain. 

“Maybe we can do something else?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. “Like maybe practice with the force?”

She felt a jump of excitement at her mention of practicing with the force. 

“As you wish,” Kylo answered, beckoning to the turbolift. 

If this was how this whole apprenticeship thing was going to work out, Rey didn't mind staying. Not once had Kylo not done what she wanted, and he had not forced her to do anything against her will, besides go to the med bay.

The turbolift stopped, and the couple stepped out into the darkness. Rey was expecting to go into the same training room that she had been in previously, but Kylo lead her past it. He opened another door, and entered, and she followed close behind him. The room was large and there were many objects in it. Boxes, scraps of metal, a floating training bot, and a pool of water in the center. Kylo unclasped his helmet, and set it to the side. 

“How much can you levitate?” he asked her. 

Rey had practiced with Artoo, when she was with Luke, her sympathy for the droid as incentive to not drop him. 

“He had you lifting Artoo?” Kylo asked, laughing. 

When Rey nodded, he laughed even more. 

“He had me do it too,” he finally said, “and somehow we both ended up here.”

Rey smiled at the thought of young Ben Solo practicing with a frantic R2-D2. 

“Well, show me what you got,” Kylo said, crossing his arms, leaning against the wall. 

Rey looked at the scattered boxes, and held her hand out, just barely moving her fingers, the boxes stacked neatly and quickly into a tall tower. She looked at Kylo, but he wasn't impressed, still leaning against the wall, watching her expectantly. Rey huffed, and lifted the boxes, and formed them into a circle around the room, and then began to spin them around, causing wind to whip around the room. She looked back at Kylo, and he was smiling, but still didn't look too impressed. She felt anger bubbling up. What did she have to do to please him? 

She singled out one of the boxes and hurled it at him. He deflected it, and it smashed against the wall, splintering into a thousand pieces. 

“Good,” he said, finally impressed.

He moved away from the wall now, and had his hand out to the scrap metal. He flung a bar of steel towards her, and she held out her other hand, trying to deflect it and keep the boxes up at the same time. The bar raced towards her, and she knew he had no intention of slowing it down. She pushed with all she had at the bar, and it went flying across the room before finally jamming into the wall, the sound of steel bending echoing throughout the room. She looked back at Ben, and his smile was wicked. He had one hand out, and she looked, realizing she was no longer in control of the boxes. Kylo held them where they were, until she took them back from him. They spent hours doing the same thing, and by the end of the day, Rey was exhausted. 

They continued this daily routine, for a week, sharing Kylo’s bed as they slept at night. Rey had made friends with the pilot in the bridge, everyone she passed in the hall beamed a huge smile at her, while moving away to give Kylo Ren his space. Jacen had returned three days after he was sent away, and he and Kylo were together a lot. Rey had gotten used to the two men who teased and fought each other like boys. Jacen had even joined them for dinner one night. 

.

.

.

.

.

 

She was wary of going to the Knight's training arena alone, but Kylo said he would join her as soon as he could. He was caught up in First Order business, and they're training schedule was pretty strict, so he commanded Rey go alone, even though she knew he didn't like it. 

Rey stepped through the door to the arena, and all the Knights turned when they saw that Kylo Ren was not with his apprentice. 

She saw Ikiondu and Futevi in the back corner, leaned up against the wall, arms crossed in front of their chests.  Azara came jogging up to her, and he bowed his head respectfully. 

“Would you like to practice more forms, Rey?” he asked, a smile on his face. 

“Could we spar, Azara? I grow weary of forms,” Rey asked, ready to release energy. 

“Of course,” he said, pulling his vibroblade. Rey hailed an electrostaff from the wall, and held it out as Azara placed a restrictor on it. 

Azara was an easy sparring partner compared to Kylo. Rey broke through his defenses about six times before he got one good hit into her ribs, the same place Kylo had hit her. She could feel Ikiondu and Futevi watching, judging, but they didn't move until Rey got another jab into Azara. The older Knights strolled quickly over to the two apprentices, and Azara bowed and quickly backed away.

"Seems the Almighty Lord Ren has good taste in apprentices," the Twi'Lek spoke, circling around her.

Rey kept her head up and eyes forward, ignoring the predatory knights. Futevi stood in front of her, mere inches from her face.

"A defiant pupil? How  _Kylo Ren_ of you," the Togruta sneered. "How about a little spar, oh chosen one of the Master of the Knights of Ren?" Futevi continued.

"Yes, good idea, Futevi. She'll have a lot more fun, two on one," Ikiondu smiled.

Rey hid all emotion from her face. She wanted to stand up to them, but Azara had said during their training sessions, that even if she was Kylo's apprentice, the other knights are above her and she must obey, and disobedience carried a heavy price. 

"As you wish, master knights," Rey inclined her head.

Ikiondu chuckled as her pulled out his darksaber. It was shorter than the one she practiced with, but broader, its blade shape differently, tapered at the end. Futevi had two vibroblades, longer than Azara's. Rey waited for them to put restrictors on their blades but the didn't make a single move. Not until Futevi began circling around Rey. Ikiondu began a circle in the opposite direction, throwing Rey off. She quickly gathered her senses and decided not to let the older knights best her. She pulled the force closer and began her battle Meditation. Futevi ran at her with a yell, and feinted two blows to the left but quickly turned and swiped at Rey's right shoulder. Rey saw the move two steps before it happened and easily parried the Togruta's blade. Rey began moving so that while her eyes were on Futevi, she could monitor the circling Twi'Lek. She felt his intentions before he moved and quickly began her attack on him. His eyes widened with surprise but then he steeled his face as he went on the defensive, blocking the twirling ends of her staff. She had gotten more acrobatic with her use of the force and more nutrition, and she spun quickly as she felt the Togruta run up behind her. Rey's offensive postition quickly turned defensive as Ikiondu and Futevi ganged up her, raining blow after blow. She felt Kylo's presence enter the room, but she refused to let him distract her. She was suddenly thrown backwards, out of the flurry of blades. She looked up to see Futevi and Ikiondu hanging, hands grasping their necks.

"I specifically told every Knight on this ship that no one trains with REy except me and Azara. Did you somehow misunderstand? Or was this an outright attack, as I don't see anything to dull your blades so that you don't kill my apprentice in an unfortunate training accident?" Kylo boomed, his anger rolling off him like the waves of Ach-To.

"We were just helping, Lord Ren. She easily defeated Azara, and he is one of our fastest bladesmen. We decided to change it up a bit," Ikiondu gasped, looking sideways at Futevi.

"Oh, you wanted to help train her, then?" Kylo sneered. "You can help by making sure these floors are waxed and cleaned by tomorrow morning. Not a single scuff or bloodstain, do you here?"

Ikiondu and Futevi nodded, and Kylo threw them across the room.

"Now, you, on the other hand," he said, pointing a finger at Rey, walking up to her. "Get to spar with me. I promise to lop any limbs off," he smiled through his mask and held a hand out to Rey.

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Rey stepped out of the shower, and wrapped the towel around her torso. She checked her shoulder wound, but all that was left was a pink scar. She had full range of motion now, and it didn't hurt when she pressed her fingers to it. She pulled on her night clothes thankful that Kylo had found pants to fit her. She wrapped her hair in the towel, and stepped from the washroom. Kylo was stretched across the sofa, legs hanging off the other side, Holopad in his hand. 

"Weren't you a little harsh on Futevi and Ikiondu today?" she asked as she walked into the little kitchen.

"No. That is about the lightest punishment I've ever given. And do not ever question me on it, Rey. My place as Master of the Knights and First Knight are not set in stone. You don't get promoted. You fight your way to the top. I had to fight to get where I am in the Knights of Ren. I was given my position in the First Order to appease General HUx. I never wanted it. yes, I can fight and kill any of the knights under my power right now, but that won't stop a mutiny. Those two are my most unruly knights, none of the others would have dared disobey, and those two wouldn't have approached you if myself or Jacen were there. You need to be careful around them No more going down alone unless Jacen or I am with you," Kylo said from his spot on the sofa.

She walked over to him, and climbed onto the back of the couch, " Okay, _Lord Ren_." 

Rey could read the word  _ Coruscant _ before Kylo shifted where he was, and pulled her off the back of the couch and into his lap. She froze where she was, unsure of what to do. They had gotten quite comfortable around each other, and it wasn't the first time he'd tried something so bold. He pulled her onto his lap in a meeting with the officers two days ago, while she was thinking about a dream they shared. This time, Kylo wrapped an arm around her, and held the Holopad out in front so he could read over her shoulder.

Rey felt so at peace in his arms. She was broken, lonely, and it took someone just as broken and lonely to fix her. She looked back down at the the screen. It was a news report from the planet. Something about a Mandalorian death gang popped up, and before Kylo could swipe it away, Rey reached out and clicked on it. She remembered Kylo had mentioned Mandalorians when she first arrived, but she didn't know anything about them. Kylo sighed behind her as she read about the group of mercenaries. 

“So are they, like, assassins?” she asked behind her shoulder. 

“Not exactly. You call the Mandalorians when you need to deal with somebody. Someone who owes you a debt, or is a threat to your family. The Mandalorians have a code, and they won't just kill an innocent person. They have to believe the person did any wrong first,” Kylo trailed off, thinking. “Jacen is Mandalorian. We picked him up because he was force sensitive. He's not very good with it, but he doesn't need the force. He uses it to sense for danger, but that's about it. He could always care for himself without it.”

Rey leaned back into Kylo’s chest. She knew there was something funny about Jacen, how the force kind of danced around him, yet he didn't feel like Kylo or Luke, who were force users. She thought about the other knights. 

“The others aren't force sensitive,” she said matter of factly.

"Not all of the Knights are here. They come and go from their main bases, same as I. We have some pretty strong force users in the group, but you and I are by far the strongest. The knights go around and pick up apprentices from around the galaxy, some Force Sensitive, others not at all,” Kylo told her.

Rey sat back up, and unlocked the holopad. 

“Why were you looking at the news on Coruscant?” she asked, skeptically. 

She felt warm lips press against the back of her neck, trailing around to her ear. 

“Because, my apprentice, we're going there tomorrow,” he said softly into her ears before pulling her tight against him. 

“Seriously?” she squealed. She couldn't contain her excitement. She was so ready to get off this ship and smell fresh air and see people who weren't in gray uniforms of white armor. 

“Seriously,” Kylo confirmed, lips tickling her collar bone. 

It was the first time Kylo had actually ever touched her with his lips. A shiver ran through Rey’s spine, but her insides were melting. She could feel her arousal building up. A week of just sleeping, no erotic dreams, or contact with Kylo except when he held her at night, was driving her insane. She leaned into his kisses, without realizing it. It was like her body was not her own, there was another person on there with her controlling her movements, but she knew that wasn't true. She had been wanting this, craving his touch, ever since she woke up in the Finalizer interrogation room.  
  


She tossed the Holopad onto the ground,and turned her face up and back, to meet Kylo’s lips. He tasted like the Corellian apple they had shared after dinner, tart and sweet, and yet there was something else, something that screamed Kylo Ren, a flavor all its own. Kylo pressed harder against her mouth, and she could feel his erection on her lower back. She let out a soft moan into his mouth, and she heard his heart pick up speed. Kylo grasped her around the waist, and twisted her around, so that she was straddling him, legs wrapped around his back. Rey ran her fingers through his hair and he peppered her neck with kisses. She pulled back, slightly, pleased with the low growl that came from Kylo. She pulled harder this time, and Kylo yanked her closer to him, and sank his teeth into her neck. She gasped out loud, and he kissed and sucked down her neck, teeth grazing over her skin, nipping and then licking away pain with a flick of his tongue. She had never felt anything like this, not even in their dreams. She had never been intimate with a man before. She spent a solitary life on Jakku, and in the week she spent on D’Qar before she left to find Luke, she spent all her time watching over Finn while he was in his coma. And then the only person she was around was Luke, and there's no way anything was happening there. 

Kylo stood up with Rey, holding her up against him, as he made his way to the bedroom. He plopped her down on the bed, and Rey made an angry sounding groan. Kylo pulled his shirt over his head, before climbing on top of Rey. Rey pressed her hands against his abs, fingernails digging in, ever so slightly. Kylo was assaulting her mouth, and he pulled his tongue over the roof of her mouth, eliciting a moan from deep inside her. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth, and sucked on it, ever so slightly, and was satisfied when she heard the soft whimper escape his mouth. 

Kylo moved a hand under her shirt, and grabbed a small breast, and rolled his thumb over her pebbled nipple. Rey squirmed under him, needing more contact. Kylo's knee was between her legs, and he leaned forward, pressing his thigh into her crotch, giving Rey what she needed. She wiggled against his leg, needing more than just pressure. Kylo sat up, and yanked her shirt over her head, revealing her bare chest. She looked up at him, into his dark eyes, as they took in every inch of her bare chest. She bit her bottom lip, waiting for what Kylo would do next. She was surprised when he plopped down next to her, and squealed when he pulled her on top of him. He worked her out of her pants, with expertise, from where she was straddling him. She gave him a hand, and pulled them off all the way, before she moved her hands to the ties of his pants. He pulled her face up to his, and kissed her again, and she felt him squirming underneath her, and then a kick of his legs, his pants now off. She laughed into his mouth about how smoothly he had done the action. She sat down on his crotch, his cock hard underneath her, pressing against his underwear, almost begging to be set free. As if out of instinct, she started grinding on him, dragging a moan from his lips.

 

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Kylo looked up at Rey from where she was perched on top of him, moving her hips in a figure 8 over his already hard cock. He reached up and pulled her beside him, and he hooked his fingers in her underwear, and proceeded to just rip them off of her. He was propped up on one elbow, a knee between her legs, and he looked down at her, through his dark hair, waiting expectantly. He could feel her nervousness, but he could also feel her arousal. She nodded at him, biting her bottom lip, and he leaned forward and took the lip from her teeth and did the same thing she had done to him earlier, only harder, before releasing it and pressed his mouth against hers, stifling the moan. His free hand worked it's way down, until he was met by her wetness. He found her clit quickly, and used his thumb to rub circles around it, as she wiggled, and bucked, trying to get more. He slipped a finger inside her, and curled it upwards, hitting the soft spot that elicited a muffled scream into his mouth. Her toes curled and she gripped the sheets, her knuckles turning white. He continued to kiss her, and he inserted another finger, and slowly began pumping his hand. It was all so familiar, and yet different from the way he had pleasured her in their dreams. He kept circling his thumb, pressing harder and then releasing, and then pressing harder again. Rey’s insides clamped down on his fingers as she finally went over the edge, and she opened his mind to him, sharing in her ecstasy. 

He moved from her lips, working his way to her breasts, before sucking up a nipple, rolling it gently between his teeth, his tongue caressing it all at the same time. 

Rey’s breathing was heavy, and it matched his. 

Rey grabbed his face and pulled him up to her, kissing him.

“Please, Ben,” she begged, his given name burning. She had been calling him Master Ren in public, but behind closed doors, the only name she used was the one his parents gave him. Not once had she called him Kylo. 

“Say it. Say my name, Rey,” he ordered, as he pushed his long fingers further into her, biting and sucking at her neck, leaving bruises that would be there for the next couple days.

“Ben,” she gasped. “Ben Solo.” 

He growled into her skin, and pulled his face away. She cupped his cheeks, silent tears falling from her face. 

“I've never called you anything else,” she whispered through gritted teeth. 

Kylo knew it was true, he'd never be Kylo Ren to her. She still thought she could save him. The thought made him want her more, and he raised himself up, and slipped his underwear off. Rey looked down at to where his hand was stroking his stiff cock, and fear flooded over her. Kylo stopped what he was doing and made his way over to her, nesting himself between her legs. He took her hand, and kissed the inside of wrist. Leaving a trail of gently kissed up her arm and across her shoulder, he found his way to her lips. 

“I won't hurt you, Rey. Not now, not ever,” he promised, looking at her through his black locks. 

“I know, Ben,” she whispered back, hands on the back of his head, stroking his hair. 

Kylo positioned himself so that the tip of his cock was just barely touching Rey, and he looked down at her, waiting for her permission. She nodded her head quickly, and Kylo shifted his hips, moving ever so gently into Rey. She gasped as her body tried to get used to the invasion, and he moved slowly, agonizingly slow. He was only halfway in when he felt a barrier. Confusion flooded him. There was no way… he looked down at Rey, who had her head turned to the side, cheeks crimson, avoiding his eyes. 

“No, Rey, why didn't you tell me?” he asked gently.

“Because it never came up, and you didn't ask,” she whispered. 

“I can stop,” Kylo said, and slowly began pulling out of her. 

Rey reached for his shoulders, digging her nails in, pulling him back to where he was. He felt anger towards himself for assuming that she had been sleeping with Resistance fighters on her first day on Starkiller. She hadn't slept with anyone. He was the one taking this from her, and he could almost cry at the thought. Rey was his, fully and completely his. 

“No, Ben, don't ever stop,” she commanded him, looking him dead in the eye. 

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. 

“I'm going to break my promise, love, but only for a couple seconds,” he warned, and she nodded. 

Kylo pulled himself up further on his elbows, and with a final thrust, he broke the membrane, and filled Rey completely.  

She gasped, and her legs tightened around Kylo, tears streaming down her face. He bent down and kissed her tears away, not moving inside her until her body got used to the feeling. It felt like he was immobile for an eternity, when in reality it was more around thirty seconds, when he felt Rey relax around him. He smiled down at her, and began pumping his hips, back and forth, pulling almost all the way out of her, before thrusting back in to the hilt. Rey’s hands were in his hair, pulling gently, as she smiled up at him, cheeks rosy. 

Everything Kylo was doing felt wrong. He wasn't a sith, but he still wasn’t supposed to feel compassion, Jedi aren't supposed to feel attachment, and yet, the force hummed around them, like it was cheering them on in their endeavors. He had never done anything so right. 

He knew Rey felt it too, because her connection was open, sharing her ecstasy. He opened his mind to her, so she could feel what he was feeling. With each other's added pleasure, their release was coming quickly, and Kylo pumped his hips faster, and Rey moved against him, trying to drive him farther and farther into her. He wrapped a hand around her waist, and lifted her hips, so that way his cock would hit the soft little spot inside her, and drive her closer over the edge. The Force tightened around them, like the strings of an instrument, and strummed, as Rey clamped down around Kylo, screaming his name. Her inner muscles pulled him deeper into her, and clamped around him, finally driving him over the edge. He let out one last primal growl, before he came inside Rey.

He collapsed onto his elbows, putting more weight on Rey, and he could feel her chest rise and fall with his. Their bond glowed, and stretched, contorting as they laid on the bed. Kylo composed himself, and pulled out of Rey, a small whimper escaping her at the empty feeling. He collapsed beside her, and pulled her close. 

They stayed, tangled in each other's limbs, until their breathing was slow and even. Their bond tightened, and a new feeling washed over them. The spot in his mind that Rey resided in was much larger now, and he could feel more of her than he could before. Her signature beside him was bright, but there was something more distinct about it, something different. He could sense himself in her signature. He searched his own, and was relieved to find the dark mark he left, but in the middle, with what little was left of his light, there was a brighter light, Rey’s light. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, skip the beginning if you want. I accidentally left out a tiny bit of the last chapter, so I'll try to have it roll smoothly into this one. Major plot after the first couple of point of view switches.

Rey looked over at Kylo, who was deep in thought. She would be in heaven, if there was one. She could stay here the rest of her life, and allow him to fuck her senseless, all day, every day. Kylo chuckled beside her, and she blushed a deep red.

_ That can be arranged _ , he whispered in her head, as he reached out and stroked her cheek with his fingers. 

Their bond did something weird, during their shared climax, and the spot that held Kylo in her mind grew immensely. She could feel more of him, like no matter where he was in the universe, he'd still be with her. 

The thought warmed Rey’s heart, but it also brought anxiety. Jedi weren't supposed to feel attachment, to anyone, and she had just gone and fucked the most hated man in the galaxy. She didn't know what she felt for Kylo, but it wasn't hate. She could be mad at him, and disgusted by him, but there's no way she could ever hate him. 

She felt his lips against her forehead,and she leaned closer into his chest, closing her eyes. She felt the blankets pull up around them, and the light switch off from across the room, Kylo using the least amount of effort that he had to, used the force to turn off the light. His arms tightened around her, like a cage, one she never wanted to leave. 

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Rey woke up to darkness, Kylo’s steel arms wrapped around her. They were still naked in his bed. She knew through their bond that he was still sleeping, but she couldn't help but notice the pressure against her lower back. Rey turned, carefully, as not to wake the sleeping giant in the bed, and faced Kylo, her hands on his chest. She glanced down, and drew in a long breath. She had confirmed her own thoughts, Kylo was definitely hard against her. Her cheeks blushed a bright red, and she smiled to herself. She remembered how he had stroked himself the night before, and the way he had bit his lip at the feeling. She looked back up at the man holding her, his eyes shut gently, his bottom lip jutting out ever so slightly, pouting. He always looked so peaceful when he slept, like he was no longer fighting the raging storm inside. 

Rey leaned her forehead against his chest, and moved a hand down to his prominent erection. She was hesitant to touch it, it's rosy head and long member looked daunting, but she swallowed down the fear. Her fingers clasped around it, pleased when they didn't quite meet all the way around. She swiped her thumb over the tip, and a soft moan escaped Kylo’s lips. She pulled her hand up and back down, feeling every hot vein pulse under her grip. She looked back up at Kylo’s sleeping face, surprised when she was met by his lips, crashing against hers. Kylo grasped her wrist, and she froze, unsure if she made a mistake by waking him like this. He made a throaty growl, and pulled on her hand, continuing her actions. 

_ I wouldn't mind be woken up so early if this continues,  _ he spoke into her mind, before cupping a breast in one of his large hands. 

Rey felt a warmth deep in her belly, this time, the arousal was hers. Kylo felt it too, and he grabbed her by her waist, and flipped her around, so he was spooning her once again, his hard cock throbbing against her ass. She shivered, as he trailed his fingers down her ribs, to her waist, and then finally into her pink slit. His rough, calloused fingers played with her clit, as she wiggled against him. His hot mouth was on her neck, sucking, biting, over and around the bruises that were there from the night before. 

“You'll leave a mark, Ben,” Rey gasped, afraid of what the officers or the other knights would think. 

“I'm not going to stop leaving marks until I'm sure everyone will know you're mine,” he snarled against her skin, before continuing along her collarbone, from where he was behind her. 

It should have scared Rey, the way Kylo wanted her, all to himself, but it didn't. Rey wanted everyone to know about them just as much as he did, in fact, she could march on to the bridge right now, Kylo in tow, and continue in front of everyone. 

Kylo chuckled behind her, before pressing his fingers harder onto her clit, eliciting a loud moan. 

_ You have to stop doing this to me _ , she begged him, unable to speak. 

_ Tell me what it is you want, Rey, and I'll give it to you.  _

Rey paused, and withdrew from their connection. She should leave, right now. Walk out that door and never come back. Fly to Luke, and beg his forgiveness, for failing him, because this surely wasn't on his mind. But Rey didn't move, she couldn't. She couldn't walk out that door, and leave the dark haired man on this bed. She crashed back into their connection, pressing against Kylo’s mind. 

_ I want you, Ben Solo. I need you to be mine. Now, and always.  _

She could feel his wicked smile, and wasn't surprised when she was being lifted into the air, just to be straddled on top of Kylo. 

_ And so I shall be _ , he promised, as he set Rey down on his standing cock. 

Rey gasped as Kylo slipped into her, a completely different feeling than that of last night, when he was on top of her. She looked down at Kylo, and he was smiling at her, softly, his black hair in front of his dark eyes. His hands were at her waist, guiding her movements, ups and downs, and figure eights. 

Rey almost laughed at the thought, that even if she was on top, towering over Kylo, he was still somehow in complete control. 

Kylo broadened his smile, reading her, and just to confirm her thoughts, he moved one hand further towards her belly button, and pressed his thumb against her clit. 

She dug her nails into the skin that her hands were pressed against, the raised abs of his tummy. 

Her back arched, as she came around him, pulling him over the edge with her. Kylo’s fingers dug into her waist, re-bruising the tender skin. Tremors racked her body, and she whimpered when Kylo pulled her off of him, feeling empty. Her legs were shaky, almost numb. She wiggled her toes, willing the feeling to come back. She felt Kylo roll off the bed beside her, and she looked up at the tall, naked figure. He was reaching a hand out to her, smiling. 

“I think a shower is in order,” he said, smiling down at her. She reached for his hand, and let him pull her up. She basically drug him to the washroom, and pushed the water on. 

Kylo pushed her against the tile of the shower, crushing her lips, kissing her so hard that their teeth clicked. The stubble on his chin scraped against hers and the hot water ran over them, cascading from the ceiling. Rey knew Kylo had no intentions to stop his advance on her, so she put a hand in between their lips, and watched as his eyes flew up, sparking. 

“I thought we were going to shower,” she casually teased. 

She felt the rumble of his growl against her hand, and his mouth pulled away from her palm. He reached behind him, and pumped the soap into his hand, before gently slapping it on top of her head. He reached back again, and rubbed the soap into his own hair this time, and she watched as the white suds started foaming. She moved her hands to her own hair, and started massaging her scalp with her fingertips. She didn't resist when Kylo moved her hands away and started rubbing her scalp. She closed her eyes and let out a soft groan as he released all the tension, she let her head fall back, and relaxed. It felt so nice to have someone care about her, touch her, help her. Kylo pulled her closer to him, and she opened her eyes, the white suds already rinsed from his blank mane. He pulled her under the waterfall, and she felt the soap rinse away. He handed her the bar of soap, that since the first time she showered on the finalizer, she couldn't place the smell of it. It just smelt.. clean. She turned away from Kylo as she rubbed the bar over herself, suddenly self-conscious. She turned and handed it back to Ben, a little too quickly, and it fell to the floor. Neither of them moved to pick it up, and a smile spread on Kylo’s face, and his booming laughter surprised her. She didn't understand what was so funny, was there a joke she was missing? Kylo smiled softly, and Rey expected an explanation, but he just left it alone, and levitated the bar off the wet tiles. He didn't break their eye contact the entire time that he was scrubbing away at his skin, washing his entire giant mass. He rinsed himself under the water and slammed the water off. 

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Kylo stepped from the shower, his feet hitting the cold floor of the washroom, and grabbed the two towels that were in the cupboard on the wall. He handed one to Rey, her long, dripping hair hanging well past her shoulders. She wrapped herself in it, and crossed her arms around her chest, making sure the towel was closed tight around her. Kylo wrapped his around his waist, and tucked one end into the other, so he had the use of both his hands. It was hot and stuffy in the washroom, so he pulled the door open, fresh air pouring in. He rubbed his hand across his chin, the stubble harsh on his hand.  

He opened the mirror, revealing the silver razor that he kept behind it, and readied himself to shave away the hair. He didn't know why he kept his face smooth. Maybe it was the fact that his father had perpetual stubble on his face when he was a child, and he wanted to be nothing like Han Solo. He didn't like the thought of growing a beard, it reminded him too much of his uncle, who had began growing one around the same time Ben went to his academy. 

He felt soft hands on his, pulling the razor away from his face. He looked down at Rey, who, like always, was thinking. 

“Maybe let it grow a little? Couldn't hurt. I've never seen what you looked like with it. You can always shave it if you don't like it,” the hazel eyed girl tried convincing him. 

It couldn't actually hurt, could it? They were going to Coruscant today anyways, and it's not like a lot of people actually saw under the helmet. Just Snoke, the knights, Rey, and Hux. Kylo shuddered at the thought of Hux seeing him without his helmet. He remembered the smirk on the red haired man's face when Kylo was being punished by the Supreme Leader, as he watched his unmasked expressions. Kylo hadn't wanted the punishment to stop that day as much as he wanted to hide behind the black shadows of his helmet. 

He set the razor back in its spot behind the mirror, and turned to Rey. She beamed up at, like she normally does when she accomplishes something, and he reached a hand out to place a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. She leaned into his knuckles, and hummed. He stroked her cheek with a thumb before dropping his hand and walking out to the chill hall. The bed was a total disaster when they entered his room, the corner sheets had pulled up, and pillows were on the floor. Most of the blankets were kicked to the foot of the bed, the others were clinging for dear life, so close to falling off. Kylo thought about his comfortable bed at home, large and soft, almost double the size of the one in his tiny chambers. 

Rey and Kylo moved around each other with ease. They had done this every morning for more than a week, getting dressed and ready for the day of training and sitting in on the boring staff meetings in the room off the bridge, but this time was different, they brushed against each other, and didn't turn their backs and go the other side of the room to get dressed. They stood side by side, pulling layer after layer from their now shared dresser. 

Kylo thought he would regret telling the housing manager to not set up a room for Rey after the first night she slept in his room. He wouldn't leave her alone, not after telling her she'd probably have a room further down the hall, and he felt her spike of fear at the thought of being left alone. They had coexisted perfectly in that week, moving around each other, keeping their relationship as strictly business as possible. He could feel the tension rising, every morning, and every night when they rose and went to sleep. He had accidently slipped into her mind in a meeting one day, not able to control the pull of her thinking about him, thinking about a dream they had shared before. He acted sporadically, and pulled her into his lap, and waved on the General speaking through the hologram. It all seemed so long ago, but it was merely days. Everything had changed so rapidly, over the course of a night. 

Rey looked over to him, unsure exactly of what he was thinking. He caught her gaze and pushed the memories away, pulling his robe on. Rey had on her usual black, a red tunic on this time, and her black cloak that he had given her on her first day. It still drug on the ground behind her, and he told her he would get a smaller one, but she refused. He glanced over her, red hickies and bite marks on her neck, leading down past her collarbone. Some of them had bruised, turning dark purple. She made no move to cover them, no scarf wrapped around her neck in shame. He leaned and kissed her forehead, before turning toward the door and leading them out of his chambers. 

Rey walked confidently beside him, her chin up, cloak dragging behind her. She had learned to walk quickly beside him, and he had slightly slowed his pace so she wasn't jogging. All the troopers and officers they passed moved quickly out of the duo’s way, before turning and staring at them. They had definitely seen the marks on Rey’s neck.

Kylo and Rey rounded the corner and turned onto the bridge, and moved to their usual morning place beside Hux and Phasma. Hux turned to brief Kylo, glancing over at Rey, who held her head defiantly. The General's eyes almost bugged out of his head at the sight of the bruises running down the young woman's neck and collarbone. He then quickly composed himself before turning to Kylo Ren, sneering.

“Yes, General?” Kylo’s voice was cool behind the voice mod, his head tilted to the side. 

“I guess you've found more of a pet in the scavenger than an apprentice, I see? Who would have known that she'd go from a scavenger, to a sith apprentice, to a common whore,” Hux’s voice was tight, but hate and amusement were behind it.

Kylo’s inside ripped at the sound of Hux calling Rey names, and the fact that he had called her a whore brought his anger bubbling to the surface. He turned on Hux, his saber in his hand, still deactivated, but the hint was enough, and the General looked away, avoiding Kylo’s gaze.

Phasma cleared her throat on the other side of him. “The Resistance has another base besides the one in the Ileenium system. They seem to have taken a liking to Yavin and it's moons,” Phasma informed him. 

Hux seemed to have steadied himself, because he piped up beside the Captain, “Seems you cut down the wrong parent, Kylo Ren. Leia Organa is causing us a big deal of hurt, wherein Han Solo was just a smuggler.”

Kylo’s vision blackened at the General's words. His fists curled into tight balls, at his side as he remembered the moment on Starkiller when his saber sliced through his father's chest, and he watched him plunge off the thin bridge into nothing, before caressing his cheek. The thought of his mother, the only one who could remotely understand what was happening to him as a child, the one who always forgave, in place of his father, brought so much rage to the surface, he felt like he was burning.

Hux was floating, clawing at his throat, face turning purple, as officers, pilots, and technicians scrambled out of Kylo’s reach. 

“Do you forget to whom you're speaking, Hux?” Kylo sneered, loosening his grip just enough so the rat didn't pass out or die. 

“You may believe that you rank above me, and that you have more power, but it is I, who is above you. I have had enough of your disrespectfulness. I am not your equal, nor your peer. I am Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren!” Kylo bellowed, before tightening his grip on Hux’s airway. The saber in his hand had activated, and he felt the urge to run it through something. He could feel Rey, cornered in his mind, scared, but also angry. She too, was mad at the words Hux had said, about her, about Leia Organa Solo. Her anger only fed his, and yet he dropped the General, letting him crash onto the floor in a crumpled ball of flesh.

Rey had moved to Hux faster than he could, and her feet met with the red haired man's torso, multiple times, knocking every last bit of breath out of him, and then kicking it out again as he sucked a quick breath in. She stood back, hands trembling, as Hux stubbornly picked himself up, smiling at her, sneering at her. Kylo was frozen where he was, he could only watch, as her fist collided with his evil smile, knocking him back on the ground. It was only when Rey was straddled over the man, yelling at him, punching him over and over in the face, that Kylo could move. He ran quickly over to Rey, and pulled her up, his hands in her armpits, and she kept trying to strike out at Hux with all her limbs, as Kylo pulled her away. 

Hux was spitting up blood, and he had a broken tooth, maybe more. His face was bloodied and bruised, and he lay curled in the fetal position, breath coming and going in rattling breaths. Kylo turned Rey around in his grasp, and she was trembling with rage. He could feel her light slipping away, being replaced with hate and darkness. Silent tears leaked down her face, and when she went to wipe them away, the blood on her knuckles smeared across her cheeks. She looked like a savage animal who had just finished its meal. Her breath came in ragged bursts, and her knees were weak. 

Phasma spoke from where she had retreated, “Leave, everyone,” she commanded, and the bridge cleared quickly, with murmurs about Kylo’s apprentice, as unstable as he is. 

Phasma removed her helmet, her short blond hair brushed back. She moved to Hux, and called in for medical help, before turning to Kylo, and she said nothing, just watched him and Rey. Kylo could feel Rey regaining her thoughts, realizing what she had just done. Tears came faster, and with it, a wave of self-loathing.

Kylo should have been proud of Rey. Proud that she let her emotions control her. Proud that she had given into the darkside, but he wasn't. He hated himself. If he could have just controlled his anger, then maybe it wouldn't have triggered Rey to dive off the deep end. He yanked the helmet off his head, and cupped her cheeks, finally able to see her clearly, not through the slots in his mask. 

“Rey, Rey, look at me,” he pleaded, searching her eyes. She looked up from where she had been staring out at nothing, and met his eyes. His throat hitched at the sight of all the pain there, hidden behind her eyes. 

“Please don't be mad at me!” she finally spoke, begging, as she gripped the front of his robes. 

Kylo’s head was reeling. Why would he be mad at her?

“No, no, no, Rey. I'm not mad at you, love,” he said, pulling her into his chest. He wrapped his arms tight around her, as her fists were balled up against his torso. She leaned her cheek into his robe, and let the tears fall. 

Kylo turned his head sharply at the sound of feet running through the corridor, and Jacen burst through. 

“Holy fuck,” he exclaimed when he caught sight of the beaten and battered Hux. He looked from Kylo to Rey to Hux and back to Kylo. The blond man's eyes widened and he was about to open his mouth, but Kylo shook his head, silencing his fellow night. 

Jacen’s mouth snapped shut, before he opened it again. 

“I heard there was a scrap on the bridge with the new apprentice and that someone was dying, but that's about it. I didn't think it would be Hux. I honestly half expected it to be you, brother,” Jacen said, walking slowly over to where Kylo and Rey stood. 

The med st aff crashed into the room, and immediately started working on the groaning Hux. And Kylo watched as Phasma stood over them, watching closely. Kylo looked back at Jacen, and started walking back to the the hall, helmet in one hand, Rey wrapped up in the other arm. 

“Let's go, brother, we're leaving,” he told Jacen, as they made their way to the docking bay. 

Rey was still walking silently by Kylo, almost dragging her feet, when he turned to a door. He put in the pin, and a little wall popped out. It was empty, except for one thing, hanging off a rack, Rey’s blue saber and her staff. He grabbed them, tucking the saber into her belt, and pulling the staff over head head to rest in its place on her shoulder, and then closed the door again. They continued on their way, and entered the ship hangar. 

Kylo l et go of Rey to put in his flight clearance, and when he turned around, Rey was walking over to his command shuttle. The upsilon class ship loomed over the others, magnificent and black. 

_ Not that one,  _ he spoke through the connection, and Rey stopped in her tracks, confused. He walked in the other direction of the command shuttle to his personal ship, a lambda class shuttle, from his grandfather's time. It had been heavily remodeled, and was now black in color, and fitted with a state of the art hyperdrive. Kylo had placed a few mods in it himself, and it was  _ fast.  _

Rey’s x-wing was tucked in a corner, and she stopped to look at it. Kylo’s heart skipped a beat as she started moving quickly towards it, and he started after her, afraid she might run after what just happened. She reached into the cockpit, and turned around, something in her hand, and she smiled at him. He stopped where he was, again mentally kicking himself for thinking she would leave. He held out his hand, and she intertwined her fingers into his, and they walked to his shuttle. 

The inside was new and clean, and had updated weapons and shield systems. He felt safer in his personal ship than his command shuttle. It was also less obvious than his Upsilon class ship which everyone recognizes as the shuttle of the infamous Kylo Ren. He likes to go home peacefully, without worrying about annoyances from the Resistance or a brave band of pirates. He led Rey to the cockpit, knowing she'd be excited to fly, even if it was copilot. He started the flight sequences, and put in the coordinates for Coruscant, and they left the Finalizer quickly and quietly. The Finalizer had moved far from Lothal over the week, and they were a ways from the city-world or Coruscant. Jacen was relaxed on one of the benches against the wall, playing with his dark clothes. Kylo would have to send for his fellow knights helmet, if he didn't have an extra in his armory. The Knights didn't go anywhere without their own helmets, masking their faces. To be seen as human is to be seen as weak. It is better to be seen as a monster in a mask. He looked at Rey at the thought of a monster in a mask. It's what she had called him when he first talked to her. It seemed like forever ago. 

Rey was smiling in her copilot's chair, pressing a button on the item she grabbed from the old x-wing fighter. It was a comm. It was blinking, someone had left her a message, or multiple, and she hadn't been by the fighter in over a week. 

_ Rey, this is Poe Dameron, checking in. We haven't heard from you in a couple days and we know you're training with Luke, but we deserve a little time too _ , the message ended. Rey deleted it, and the light was still flashing. 

_ Heya, scavenger. I'm out of med-bay and walking, but Poe would kill me if I knew I was up so late comming you, so give me a beep when you get this _ . There was long pause, before the man's voice sounded again.  _ I miss you. I hope everything is going  _ well.

Rey was smiling down at the comm that was still blinking. An image flashed over his mind, something she was thinking of. It was the traitor, FN-2187, when he had found her wandering around Starkiller. 

“The traitor!” Kylo almost yelled at her. “You are close friends with him? You guys comm each other?”

Rey looked up at him, defiantly.

“Yes, Ben, we are friends. In fact, he's my best friend, and he's one of the bravest people I know.  _ You  _ almost killed him and he had to go into a coma, and after he woke up, we talked every day over commlink from across the galaxy. I haven't spoken with him in over a week now. Oh, and his name is Finn, okay. Finn, not FN-2187. He's not a number, nor is he a stormtrooper, not anymore,” Rey said, holding her ground, before pressing the button again. 

_ Rey, I'm getting worried, why haven't you responded?  _ It was Finn again. Rey deleted it. 

_ Rey we tried tracking your ship, but the locator isn't working, where are you? Artoo said you went to Lothal, but we already did a flyby and we didn't see the Falcon or the X Wing. Look, Chewie and the General are worried. Please, please, respond.  _ It was Poe this time, the pilot that had escaped with Finn. 

Rey looked up at Kylo with a pleading look, and he already knew what she was going to say. 

“No. No! Absolutely not,” he started, but Rey stood up and kissed him, basically sucking the words from his mouth, leaving his brain a little frizzled. She held the back of his head, and pulled away, looking into his eyes. Her bottom lip stuck out a little, pouting. He reached forward and grabbed it with his teeth, and pulled her closer to him by her lip. When she was hovering over him, he let go and kissed her gently, growling. 

“Fine. One call, that's all you get. Say what you want, except where we are going,” Kylo gave in, and heard Jacen chuckle from where he was around the corner. 

Rey beamed and her eyes lit up, and she kissed his forehead before sitting back down.

She fiddled with the link, and waited for the connection. There was click on the other side. 

_ Rey? _ Finn’s voice asked.

“Yes, it's me!” Rey squealed. “How are you? I got your messages, I've been a little busy lately”, she said, looking sideways at Kylo.

_ Holy hell, Rey, where are you? You have everyone spooked over here, it's like you drifted out of the galaxy. What happened? _

_“_ Yeah, I got a little sidetracked. I was going to Lothal…” she paused, and looked at Kylo, mouthing the word _help_. 

_ Tell him the truth. Or tell him you're with Luke. He won't leave whatever planet he's hiding on,  _ Kylo advised her. 

“Well I was headed to Lothal, but the First Order intercepted me. I'm with Luke now,” Rey lied, frowning. 

_ Try again, Rey. Luke is standing beside me, just as worried as the rest of us. He said you disappeared in the night, taking the x-wing. He... _

_ Rey, I have felt a great disturbance in the force. I need you to come to the base so that we may discuss it. I have seen… things, that I cannot explain, _ it was Luke Skywalker’s voice, sounding older and more tired than ever. 

Kylo could feel Rey’s fear pricking, and her face dropped instantly. 

_ See, Rey, everyone is worried, _ Finn’s voice popped back up.

“I was taken by the First Order, Finn,” Rey finally admitted, but it was still a half lie. She could leave whenever she wanted. Not once had he actually forced her to stay. 

_ Oh my stars, Rey, are you alright? Did they hurt you? Did that bastard Kylo Ren hurt you? How are you talking to me, did you get away? Where are you Rey, Leia is organizing a rescue as we speak. _

“No!” Rey shouted, a little too quickly. “Look, Finn. It's not like that. Don't worry about me. I'm not hurt, nobody hurt me. I won't be able to speak to you in a while. Please, don't send a search party, it'll be a waste of time. I don't even know where I am,” Rey sounded exhausted. 

_ What do you mean, Rey? Of course we're going to send people after you! But how are you talking to me? _

Rey waited, trying to think of something to say. “I was allowed one call. But I have to go Finn. I can still get your messages,” she looked over at Kylo, who nodded, allowing her to keep the comm. “But I have to go, Finn. I miss you.” 

_ What? Only one call? I miss you too Rey, you need to be here.  _

“I love you, Finn. Please, don't come looking for me,” Rey sighed, and she disconnected the call. She leaned back against her chair, and Kylo didn't look away from her. She said she loved him. Had this all been a mistake? Had sleeping with her been a mistake? Taking her in, thinking they could be something? 

Rey’s eyes shot up, from where she must have felt his self doubt. She closed her eyes tightly, hissing. 

“No, Ben, that's not what I meant,” she started to explain. 

“You said you love him, there's nothing more to be said, Rey,” Kylo hissed, looking back out the cockpit. 

Rey’s hand jerked his chin so he was looking at her. 

“Yes, there is something to be said, you laser brain. I do love Finn. With all my heart. He is my closest and dearest friend. But I am not  _ in  _ love with him, you hear? He is like a brother to me. Everything between us is pure and innocent,” she explained, and Kylo nodded, slowly, trying to understand. 

“I didn't.  I didn't mean to do what I did to Hux. It's not me, I'm not… angry.. or evil, but the things he said. The things he said about me, and Han, and Leia, those were all terrible things, and I-” Kylo cut her off, placing a finger over her lips. 

“Rey, I will never judge you for losing your temper. I am the king of losing control. I also know that you regret what you did, and I can help you to control your anger, if that is what you wish,” Kylo whispered, cupping her cheek.

“Thank you, for everything. For keeping me, for letting me call Finn. For.. helping. I appreciate it,” Rey’s voice was quiet and cracked. 

She sat back down into her seat and Kylo nodded, putting the ship into autopilot and gently picking up Rey’s hand. He pulled her out of the seat and into the main quarters of the ship. He sat her down on the bench next to Jacen, and she sunk next to him, leaning against the blonde man, arms crossed over her chest. Jacen nudged her with his elbow, and she poked him back, and the by the time Kylo grabbed the first aid kit, they had begun an all out war. Rey elbowed Jacen hard in the ribs and he let out an  _ oomph. _

“Hey hey, no killing of the best friend,” Kylo teased, kneeling down in front of Rey. Jacen got in one last jab before Kylo picked up one of Rey’s bloodied fists. He wiped away Hux’s blood, and found small cuts and bruises on her knuckles from where her flesh had met his teeth, and smeared bacta over the small lacerations. He wrapped her knuckles in white gauze and moved to the next one. It was her dominant hand, and when he went to wipe away the blood, Rey drew in a quick breath. The first knuckle had turned purple and black, and looked awful and displaced. Kylo sighed, knowing he had to put it back. 

“Okay, Rey, this is going to hurt. I have to put it back in place,” he informed her, his voice soft. 

Rey let out a long breath, and held her hand out to him, closing her eyes and turning her head away. Jacen let her grasp his other hand, squeezing tight. Kylo grabbed Rey’s finger, and pulled, then jammed it back to where it was supposed to be, quickly and as gently as he could. There was a pop, and her finger and knuckle looked normal and smooth, the only sign that it was ever out of place was the dark bruise. Rey let go of Jacen and opened one eye. 

“Oh, that was it?” she asked.

Kylo laughed, “Yupp, it's fixed now. Not too bad. Jacen and I used to have to reset each other's all the time.” 

Rey clenched her fist experimentally a couple times before smiling at Kylo, flashing her white teeth. 

Kylo stood up and put the first aid kit back where it was, after smearing bacta and wrapping her hand. She looked like a real scrapper, a street fighter from the Coruscant Underground. He went back to the cockpit and Rey and Jacen were bickering as usual, he was just hoping that they didn't blow a hole in his ship and send them all out into deep space. It would be a glorious way to die, best friend and lover fighting, a force user pushes to hard, hull of ship collapses, and sends all crew out into the blackness. Kylo laughed the thought off as he heard a thump and very loud and whiny “ow” from Jacen. 

“Serves you right. It's none of your business where my hickies come from,” Rey’s voice made its way to the cockpit. 

Kylo couldn't hear the mumble come from Jacen, but he heard the playful growl from Rey, and a couple more crashes. They were like children, Kylo swore. He got up from his chair and slowly made his way back to them when he heard Rey scream. He crashed into the main part of the ship, to find Jacen straddled on top of her, tickling her? Rey’s face was bright red, and she was giggling uncontrollably as Jacen tickled her armpits, and neck, and soft tummy. It was so innocent and fun, but Kylo’s gut still wrenched with jealousy. Rey caught sight of him and snapped her mouth shut, and Jacen followed her wide eyed gaze to where Kylo was standing. Jacen looked back down at Rey and then back to Kylo before sliding off the girl.

“Ah, sorry, Kylo. All good fun, I promise,” Jacen raised his hands in mock defeat. 

“All’s well, brother,” Kylo’s voice was glassed over as he reached a hand out to Rey, and yanked her to her feet. He pulled down the shirt that had ridden up her torso, and checked the bandages on her hands. She didn't look away from his eyes the entire time. He didn't know why he was so jealous of his fellow Knight. It was all innocent fun. Maybe it was because he had known Rey longer, and he has never done what Jacen had. They didn't play together, laugh together. His jealousy rose ever so slightly, and he tried shoving it away, knowing Rey would feel it. She furrowed her brows at him, and looked at Jacen, then back at Kylo. 

“You have to be kidding me, right?” she asked him, pulling her hand from his grasp. 

“What are you talking about, Rey?” he tried to play it off. She definitely knew. 

“First you get all worked up about Finn, and now Jacen? Are you really that insecure? That unsure of my loyalty?” she spat. 

“No, Rey. It's not that.. it's nothing, forget about it,” he said, knowing Jacen was watching, listening. 

“No, there's something, so don't you lie to me. I can't kriffing believe this,” Rey said, crossing her arms and backing away from Kylo. 

“Damn it, Rey, I said it was nothing, so drop it,” he almost yelled at her, jealousy turning to anger. 

“Is that an order,  _ Master Ren _ ?” her face contorted into a twisted smirk, one corner of her mouth pulling up, glinting her teeth at him. 

He growled, low in his throat.  _ Rey, don't make me come over there, I swear I will embarrass you in front of Jacen.  _

“Try it,” she barked, defiance and rebellion radiating from her. 

Kylo stormed over to her, and grabbed her by her waist, and kept moving, so Rey had to quickly shuffle her feet back to keep from stumbling. Her back pressed against the wall, and his arms were on either side of her, caging her in. She looked up into his eyes, smiling, and then very purposefully bit her bottom lip. It was all Kylo could handle, and he crushed his lips into hers, more forcefully than he ever had. Her fingers were running through his hair, pulling back, as he made his way to her neck and ear. He pressed his hips into her, pinning her to the wall. 

  
“You are  _ mine _ , Rey. Not Finn’s, not Jacen’s, not Snoke’s, nor Luke's. Mine,” he growled into her ear, teeth scraping over the tender skin on her neck, before he pulled back and stalked back to cockpit, leaving a dazed Rey against the far wall, and a wide eyed Jacen sitting on the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Kylo dropped his shuttle out of hyperspace and gained landing clearance as they reached the grey planet of Coruscant. Rey was wide eyed in the copilot's chair, legs crossed underneath her. The city-planet was definitely the most populated place she'd ever seen, Kylo guessed. They ripped into Atmo, and the tall skyscrapers reached into the clouds. The buildings were silver bullets, reaching to the heavens, and the markets were filled with people. Kylo made a mental note to take Rey to Cloud City on Bespin. It was late on Coruscant, most likely right before midnight. It was dark out, and the city lights glowed and blinked in the darkness. 

The way to his home was well memorized, and it was near Coco Town, but still in the nicer parts of the city. He didn't like to be high up, so it was a flat, and a nice one, and the roof was his own landing pad and garage for repairs. He landed quickly and with ease, and he let down the ramp of his shuttle. Rey followed quickly behind him, eyes everywhere at once, trying to take it all in. She drew in a deep breath as she stepped off the shuttle. 

“It's definitely not fresh air, but it's better than the Finalizer,” he told her, walking over to the door of the lift that would drop them into his flat. 

“It smells pretty fresh to me. Just smells like an industrial district,” Rey peeped, jogging behind him. 

“All the air is filtered. Coruscant’s atmosphere and land was ruined a long time ago. It used to be teeming with oceans and jungles and forests, but a rising population gave way to an industrialized world,” Kylo informed her before ushering her and Jacen into the lift. Jacen put in the code that allowed the lift to drop into his flat from muscle memory.

The lift dropped and the door opened to Kylo’s house. The walls were white with one large, black stripe running across them about three quarters of the way up. Kylo lead Rey into the large sitting room, the floors were black and spotless, and all appliances and furniture was black. The kitchen was connected to it, and there was another hall that lead to the two rooms, his and a spare, but Jacen usually stayed there. Rey was turning, slowly, trying to take it all in at once. 

Kylo’s service droid sped over to meet him. 

“Lord Ren, all of the supplies that you requested have been acquired and put away. I hope your stay on the Finalizer was enjoyable,” the droid beeped. 

“Yes, thank you,” Kylo waved the droid away, and he turned to watch Rey. She sunk into one the black sofas in the sitting room, and Jacen flopped down onto the other in the carefree way he does things when he's alone with Kylo. 

.

.

.

.

 

Rey was in awe of Kylo’s home. It was so.. him. Everything was immaculately clean and tidy, and the white walls contrasted almost blindindly against the blackness of the floor and furniture. Kylo had been speaking to a droid, so she sat down in one of the large sofas in the room. There were two of them, perpendicular of each other, but spread out, and there was a large Holovid placed on the wall, with speakers throughout the room. Jacen was sprawled on the other sofa, as if he's been here his entire life, his blond hair tousled about. Rey felt the sofa give way next to her, as Kylo sat down, and he reached his arm over her, draping it over her shoulders. She sunk into his side, and pulled her feet up next to her. 

“I can't believe you live here! It's so… nice. I've never..” Rey stopped, not wanting to bring up the memories of the Imperial Walker that she lived in on Jakku. It had been enough when she was alone on the desert planet, because she didn't know how good it was to sleep in a bed or have your own room, let alone a flat on Coruscant all to yourself. 

Kylo’s lips pressed against her temple.

“Never again, Rey. You can have whatever you want. A room, a house, the entire galaxy,” Kylo murmured, and she remembered the vision he had shared with her, of them together ruling the galaxy. But she had a mission, and she couldn't deviate from its course, no matter how tempting the other side is. 

Rey laid her head on Kylo’s chest, and sighed. 

“I didn't even bring any clothes. Neither did Jacen,” she reminded him. 

Kylo stood up from the sofa, unbalancing Rey, and she had to reach out to catch herself. He was holding a hand out to her, “And that's where you're wrong, Love.”

Confused, Rey took his hand, and he pulled her into the hallway that lead out of the sitting room. She hadn't been down here before. It was dark, until Kylo flipped a switch, and there were two doors, one at the end of the hall, and one right in front of them. Kylo opened the door in front of them and pulled her in. The bed was black, of course, and the walls were dark grey. The dressers were also black. He pulled a drawer open and held out a dark purple tunic, in her size. Rey reached out and snatched it from him, and held it up to her body. Kylo opened the rest of the drawers, revealing more clothes. 

“I had the service droid pick them up when you found my Holopad and asked about Coruscant. I figured if it worked out, you could come here with me and continue training when I left the Finalizer. I had no idea at that point that we'd be sharing a room,” he paused, “that is, of you still want to share a room. Jacen is fine sleeping on a sofa.” 

Rey looked around her, and smiled back up at Kylo. 

“I wouldn't mind sharing with you. Let Jacen have a bed,” her voice was soft, almost pleading. Rey did not want to be left alone, especially at night, on a strange planet in a strange house. She had grown very accustomed to sleeping in Kylo’s arms, in a protective cage, one she never had on Jakku or Ahch-To, one she craved now.

Kylo beamed down at her, and kissed her quickly.

“Fantastic, I'll have the droid move your clothes to my room, and Jacen can have his room back.”

Rey backhanded Kylo playfully on the tummy.

“This is Jacen’s room and you just kicked him out like that?”

“Well it  _ is _ my house, and I  _ am  _ the Master of the Knights of Ren,” he winked at her, before grabbing her hand and pulling her out the room. 

Kylo lead her down the hall to the second room. He opened the door, and waved for her to enter first. His room was large, with two doors, one she figured lead into his own washroom. Kylo guided her further in. His bed was enormous, and black. She wasn't even surprised with the color anymore, she actually expected it. There was a desk facing the window, and papers were sprawled across it. A bedside table held a clock and a blaster, and there were two dressers in his room, one had a mirror perched on top of it. Kylo pushed her farther in, and he opened one of the doors. She walked in, and stopped, having to marvel at the beauty. Kylo had a large tub in his washroom, with little jets on the inside, and he also had a large shower in the corner. The tiles were black, with random white ones scattered here and there. The tub was white, and so was the toilet and large sink on the wall. There was a mirror above the sink that reached out far on the wall and all the way to the ceiling. 

They turned out of the washroom and back into Kylo’s room. The clock on the wall said 23:30, but it felt like they had just woken up. Their mental clocks were all wrong hopping across the galaxy so far. It was barely 0900 when they left the Finalizer, and they were only flying less than an hour. 

“So what are we going to do until tomorrow evening? I can't sleep now, and I don't think there's anything we can do right now,” Rey asked, curious as to what Kylo’s plans were. 

He picked her up by the waist, and she squeaked in surprise. Kylo plopped her onto his large bed, her legs hanging off the edge, and he kissed her neck.

“I know of a few things we can do to pass the time,” he rumbled against her skin, and Rey tilted her head back, holding onto Kylo’s shoulders. 

“I bet you do,” she whispered through her teeth, heat flushing between her legs. 

Kylo quickly started taking layers off her body, and she turned her head, noticing the door was still open. She flicked a finger at it, and it slammed shut, cutting her and Kylo off from Jacen and the rest of the house. Kylo chuckled coldly from where he was pulling his robe over his head. Rey now sat almost completely naked on his bed, just her chest wrap and underwear on. She started unwinding herself, as Kylo stripped himself of his pants while kicking off his heavy boots. He was left in his black underwear, and she in hers, as he basically pounced on her from where he was standing. He groped at her small breasts, and Rey started kissing his neck. It was her turn to leave marks on his perfect skin. She nipped and licked, as Kylo kissed the top of her shoulder, rolling a nipple between his thumb and finger. She moaned against his skin, and she felt the gooseflesh rise along his arms and back. Kylo pulled her hair, and she gasped, losing the contact against his skin. Kylo took control, and crushed his mouth against hers, before moving down down her body. He sucked and nibbled at each breast, before moving down to her hip bones, Rey gripping the covers, knuckles turning white. She wiggled underneath his kisses, unsure of where he was going. 

She felt his fingers loop through her underwear, and a strong tugging, followed by a ripping sounds, as he tore them off her body with ease, and he threw them behind him somewhere. Rey’s lungs stopped working as she felt Kylo’s hot breath in between her thighs. He laid a strong arm across her hips, pinning her down. 

And then she felt the quick flash of his tongue in between her soft folds, and she thought she saw stars, very briefly. And then Kylo’s mouth was pressed against her, licking and sucking, and all she could do was lay back and moan, wiggling underneath the weight of his arm. He knew exactly what he was doing, and when she needed him to move up, he did just that, and when she needed something inside her to relieve her of the bursts of pleasure, he slipped a finger in her. He knew exactly what she wanted, and it drove her over the edge, again and again and again, and she was powerless against him, calling out his name, in the flurry of fingers, thumb, lips, and tongue.

Rey was trembling by the time Kylo pulled away from her, crawling his way up her body, like a predator. He had gotten rid of his underwear in the midst of her blurry-visioned ecstasy. He gently kissed her shoulders and collarbone, and pressed his hard erection against her body. She needed him, every bit of him. She put her hands on his shoulders, and mustered all her strength, and flipped them, so she was straddled over him. His look of surprise was quickly replaced with a smirk. 

He ran his hands up her thighs, and she grabbed his wrists and then leaned forward, pinning them on his chest. 

_ My turn _ , she purred to him, and his smiled broadened, proud of her boldness. 

She could feel his cock throbbing between her and his stomach, and she smiled down at him as innocently as possible, and slid up and down its length. Kylo tilted his head back and bit his lip, and then looked back at her. He tried pulling out of her grasp, but she just stopped moving her hips, a nonverbal warning that she was getting what she wanted tonight. She felt his cock twitch underneath her, and her arousal heightened at the thought of being in complete control of the powerful man underneath her who commanded with dominance in everything he did. 

Kylo was unhinging beneath her, and her abs and legs hurt from being straddled on top of his wide hips from so long at such a weird angle. Rey kind of wanted him to take control. Kylo almost roared underneath her, as he read her thoughts, and flipped them around. 

_ Enough teasing, Jedi,  _ his voice rang in her head. 

He reached down, and scooped one of her legs into his arms, and pulled it up, exposing her to him. The back of her knee rested in the crook of his elbow, as her leg was pulled to her chest. Rey gasped, as Kylo entered her, and he kissed her, tongue fighting with hers. She could taste herself on his mouth, and she thought the taste would make her sick, but it only deepened her pleasure as Kylo drove himself into her. He waited, quite patiently, as her body adjusted to him and this new position, and then he began his work, pulling out and thrusting back in, his balls slapping her. Rey pulled at his hair, and gripped his bottom lip with her teeth, biting down. Kylo shifted her body slightly underneath him, and he hit that spot inside her that he always knew how to find, and she bit harder than she wanted to on his lip. It burst, and blood trickled out from the tiny crack. Rey looked up, horrified that she had busted his lip with her teeth, but Kylo only darted his tongue across it, and smiled down at her, before kissing her again. She didn't know where her saliva ended and his blood started as her mouth filled with a metallic taste. He tasted of it, too, and it only drove her wild. Sparks flashed behind Rey’s eyes and she moved her hands down Kylo’s back, digging her nails into his shoulder blades. Kylo’s breathing was labored and short atop her, and only matched her own breathing. 

“Ben..” she whimpered softly, unsure of what she was going to say. 

Then her release came, and her body clamped down around Kylo, as she screamed his name. Kylo came quickly inside her, grunting, pushing as far into her as he could. He held himself up on shaky arms, and looked down at Rey. Blood was smeared across his lips, and he looked like a Loth-wolf, about to tear open his young prey. He pulled out of her, gently, and released her leg. 

Rey didn't realize how bad her thigh was cramping until he released it, and she rubbed deep into the muscle. Kylo lay panting beside her, on his back, as they both looked up at nothing. Her breath evened faster than his did, and she turned her head to look at him. A hand was rested on his rising and falling chest, and another was behind his head. His mouth was opened, trying to take in as much oxygen as possible. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and caught her gaze. A smile broke out across his face. Rey’s heart sang out for him. 

Jedi weren't allowed to be attached, to anything, except the force, and yet, a part of herself was very much plasma-welded to the man beside her. It was much more than the sex that drew her to him, it was something else. His rawness. How he could be so kind, without even realizing it, and then turn around and be filled with pure rage. His force sucked her in, and now she could not escape, except she wasn't drowning in it, she was floating in it, flying. He saw through her beauty and found her darkness, and she saw through his darkness and found his beauty. 

.

.

.

.

.

 

It took a while to recover from their little break from reality, and Kylo’s clothes were back on him. Rey had to go without underwear, since he ripped them off of her earlier. He watched as she washed her face, wiping away his blood, and he followed suit. 

Rey was fixing her hair, and put it up in the three buns that she usually wore. Kylo looked closely at his lip, still slightly oozing, and moved his tongue across it. She had bit him pretty hard earlier, and normally he'd be flustered that she broke skin, but it had turned him on even more. Rey had become quite bold since her time with him. Kylo ran the comb through his hair, which was growing pretty long. Pretty soon he'd be able to pull it back. His stubble on his chin had grown darker, and he had to fight the urge to shave it. Rey wanted to see what it looked like. Maybe that was his problem. He hasn't done a single thing that she hasn't asked of him. He was powerless against her. His body was not his own when she commanded or asked of something, and all he could do was comply. She had complete control over the most feared man in the galaxy. 

Kylo turned around, but Rey had already left the wash room. He walked back into his room, and the clock said 24:33. They had definitely gone at it this time. Rey wasn't in sight, but her presence was close. He made his way to the sitting room, and found Rey in the kitchen, but this time it was Jacen who was missing. Kylo couldn't feel his presence in the house. He must've stepped out. Rey tossed a holopad at him, and he caught it, looking at the screen. 

Gone out

I can't take it anymore

I'll be at the club

-Jacen

 

Kylo chuckled and placed the holopad on the counter. 

“What club?” Rey asked.

“You'll find out, but you can't go in wearing those,” he waved at her very concealing clothes. 

“This is just another ruse for you to get me out of my clothes, Ben Solo,” she smiled at him. 

“I wish it was,” he shot back, walking back down the spare room. 

He hadn't told the droid to move the clothes yet, so he went digging around, until he found what he wanted. He heard Rey’s footsteps behind him, and he held the clothes out. 

“You're kidding, right?” she asked, amused and shocked. 

In her hands was a dark leather crop top,  and tight black pants. The crop top was quite revealing, with a plunging neckline. It would almost be too short to cover her breasts entirely, but he knew the pants would fit her well. She stripped from her clothes and started pulling on the pants, but they were tight around her hips. He moved behind her and gripped the edge, and pulled up, and they slipped on perfectly. They accentuated her perfect ass, and were tight around her nice thighs. She unwrapped her chest to put the crop top on, and the padding pushed her breasts up and together, making them look bigger than they actually were. She turned in around in a circle for him, arms out. 

He smiled down at her and nodded, convinced they'd let her in. They would let her in anyways, if she was with him, even if she wore the rags of an monk. 

Kylo marched into his room, and pulled off his robes. There was a black leather jacket in his closet, and he grabbed it. It fit perfectly over his shoulders, and he turned to the mirror. He was in all black, no skin showing, except his neck where the the collar of his black shirt dipped into a v. It was the same exact look every time he and Jacen went to the Lexus. Rey was in the doorway, admiring him, and he rolled his eyes. He walked back over to her, and held out his hand. She took it willingly, and he could see the gooseflesh on her skin. He scooped up her black cloak from the sofa as he made his way to the front door. They stepped out into the cool night, and Kylo wrapped Rey’s very large cloak around her shoulders. She smiled up at him, like the ray of sunshine that she was. 

He looked around him, and saw that Jacen had taken one of the cloud bikes. They were like speeders, except they used the magnetism of Coruscant to hop across one block to the other without falling to the Underground. His bike was left and he climbed on, and kicked it to life. Rey was standing wide eyed at it, and then seemed to shake herself of the fear. She told him about her scrapped together speeder on Jakku, so he knew she had ridden on one before. He also knew that she had never ridden on something like this. She climbed behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist, and he took off, leaving his home behind him. 

The Lexus Club was on the outskirts of Coco Town, and he could see its bright lights as he rounded the corner, weaving his way through slower traffic and people bustling about. The music was loud, even on the outside. There was an empty spot by all the other speeders, and it usually remained empty, the bouncers kept it open for him. He could see Jacen’s black bike right beside his spot, glistening in the light. Kylo eased the cloud bike into his spot, before shutting off the engine. The wind had whipped his hair around, so he shook it out, and ran a hand through it. He looked back at Rey, who had put her hood up, and she took it down now, her hair in those perfect three buns. Kylo looked from her to the line outside the door, full of humans and other species of every gender. He reached behind her head and yanked the hair ties out, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. She scowled at him, and he smiled back at her, before swinging a leg in front of him and sliding off the bike. Rey followed suit, and took his hand, without him offering this time. 

They walked up the steps, past everyone in line, and he nodded to the large bouncer at the door. 

“Drongly,” Kylo greeted her, tipping his head. The female Selonian tipped her head back at him. She was taller than him and her tail was wrapped around her feet. Dark fur covered her body and her whiskers twitched. She pushed the door open, despite the complaints from everyone in line. Kylo smiled at the creature, and then pulled Rey inside. The huge space was dark, and the bass of the music vibrated into his body. Rey was wide eyed, and her heart was racing, so Kylo pulled her through the crowd, to the empty booth above the dance floor. Jacen was already there, a Twi’Lek female on one arm, a human on the other. The girls were leaning across his lap, kissing each other, and Jacen’s smile broadened when he caught sight of Kylo and Rey. 

“Look who decided to join the party!” he yelled across the table and loud music, before dipping his head respectfully to his Master.  

Kylo waved him off, and motioned for Rey to sit at the booth. She slid in, and he scooted next to her. It was hot in the club, like the friction of bodies rubbing against each other produced actual heat. Rey dropped her cloak off her shoulders, and shook her hair out. Kylo looked up at Jacen, but the knight was preoccupied, his tongue in the blue Twi’Lek’s mouth. Kylo shook his head, and beckoned for the service droid that was passing them. He ordered drinks for him and Rey, and relaxed, reaching an arm out along the top of the seat, and played with the little hairs at the back of Rey’s neck. He crossed one leg over the top of his knee, happy to have his saber digging into his side. Rey had hers too, clipped to the waist of her pants, and it's silver hilt sparkled under the lasers and strobe lights. 

_ It's a riot, isn't it?  _ He asked her. It was useless to try speaking over the music.

_ It's… overwhelming. This is what you and Jacen do in your freetime? Party? I didn't expect you to be such as free spirit,  _ she crossed her arms and looked at him, amused. 

_ Aye, my knight and I enjoy a little fun. All work and no play makes Kylo Ren a dull boy,  _ he smirked at her, and watched as her eyebrows raised and she laughed at his remark. 

_ Somehow I doubt that you're ever dull, Ben. Speaking of, does anyone here know that you're the prodigal son of the First Order?  _

The words only stung a little, as Kylo shook his head.  _ They just think I'm some rich kid who likes to party with his friend. I told them my name was Trym, and Jacen’s name is Jay. Some people say I'm a spice smuggler, others think I'm in the slave trade, or even a bounty hunter, and some even think I live off Mommy and Daddy's funds. Keep yourself a mystery, and people begin coming up with your identity for you,  _ he reached for the drinks that the droid had dropped off recently, and handed one to Rey. 

She eyed the thick purple liquid, before taking a sip. He copied her movements, the thick, sweet drink coating his throat. He usually drank something a lot harder than the rum he had ordered, but he didn't know how much alcohol Rey had been exposed to in her life, and by the look of her face, she had never tried any. Rey licked her lips and looked at the liquid in the glass. 

_ Corellians make a fine rum, that's for sure,  _ he wiggled his eyebrows at her before finishing the glass. 

She finished hers quickly, and then set the drink down. 

_ So who am I?  _ Her brow furrowed at the question. 

_ What do you mean? You are Rey,  _ Kylo was confused at what she was asking. 

_ Like, you're Trym, Jacen is Jay, who am I?  _

_ You are Rey,  _ Kylo spoke, and grabbed her by the waist of her pants, pulling her to him,  _ and you are mine.  _

Rey smiled and kissed him, and he could taste the rum on her, or was it him? 

Jacen had moved out of the booth and to the dance floor, and he was wiggling his eyebrows at Kylo, from where he was sandwiched between the two women. 

Kylo looked back down at Rey, who was tracing the pattern on the table with her finger, looking bored. He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the table, and stalked over to Jacen, slipping in between the writhing masses. 

_ No, Ben, I don't know how to dance,  _ Rey complained. 

He motioned around the club,  _ no one here really knows how to dance,  _ he informed her and she looked around. 

It was just a group of bodies grinding on bodies. Males and females, females and females, males and males. It was just one giant, ecstasy fueled, sweat dripping dance off between everyone and no one. 

_ It's not hard, I promise. Just follow my lead, and move to the music. Even Jacen can do it,  _ he laughed at his friend, who was kissing the Twi’Lek in front of him, as the human girl behind him kissed his neck. 

Rey’s eyes were still big, as Kylo yanked her close to him, and turned her around, so her back was pressed against him. He leaned down, and kissed along her shoulders and neck as they swayed to the music. Rey was a fast learner, and soon she was moving her hips right along with him, the lower part of her back grinding against his crotch. He purred into her neck, as Jacen’s little love fest moved closer to them, more people joining the crowd. Kylo hated it when people touched him, but he was focused on only Rey, and barely noticed. 

A light green Twi’Lek wearing almost nothing was making her way through the crowd, carrying a bowl of light blue capsules. It was ex. Kylo had done it multiple times, but his body burned through it so fast that the effect was quick, and only left him with a dull, annoying headache. Rey slowed her movements as the girl came around, and Jacen popped one into his mouth, smiling at Rey. Rey waved the girl off, and shook her head. 

_ I've heard stories on Jakku about that stuff,  _ she explained herself, most likely feeling Kylo’s curiosity. 

He discreetly picked one out of the bowl of the retreating Twi’Lek with the Force, and placed it in between his teeth. He turned Rey around quickly, so she was facing him, and he was looking down at her face and cleavage. 

_ How would you know unless you've tried it?  _ He asked, taunting her. 

Her pride kicked in, he knew she didn't want to be seen as weak and scared, and she reached up and kissed him. Kylo met her lips, and broke the capsule with his teeth, as Rey’s tongue darted into his mouth. He shared the ex with her, the bitter taste of it turning sweet as the effect took its place. 

His insides started to warm, and soon turned to fire, as he watched Rey. Her eyes widened, and he could feel her arousal too. They were dancing more aggressively now, and he bent down to kiss her. His back was pressed against someone else's, and that person altered their rhythm to match Kylo’s. It started a chain reaction around the dance floor, and soon, everyone was swaying the same way to the music. Jacen’s Twi’Lek had turned around, to face away from him, and the group inched closer and closer to Rey, until the blue woman was behind Rey. 

Rey chirped with surprise at first, but then gave in to the ecstasy. Kylo’s legs burned from having them bent for so long, but he used the pain, and kissed down Rey’s neck. The Twi’Lek girl was on the other side of Rey’s neck, mirroring Kylo, and he looked up behind her at the face of his brother. The Knight was smirking, and then winked at Kylo as the other girl pulled his chin back to kiss him. Rey’s hands were wrapped around his neck, and her fingers dug into the flesh, and he only wanted her more. 

The music grew louder, and a ringing came to his ears, and he knew his body had burned off the drug. Rey, on the other hand, he could feel her emotions, the drug was very much still coursing through her veins. Kylo’s throat was dry, feeling almost cracked, and he wanted desperately for another drink. He looked over at his empty booth, and back down at Rey, who had closed her eyes, and moved further back onto the body of the Twi’Lek. Frustration rose, ever so slightly, in him, at the fact that she was filled with such ecstasy, and all he wanted was another glass. Rey’s eyes snapped open at his frustration, and he nodded towards the table. She followed him willingly through the crowd, like a lost child, until he sat at the booth. He was expected her to slide in next to him, but she crawled into his lap instead, straddled over his thighs, and she kissed him. Kylo didn't fight her advances, if this is what she wanted, she could have it, and he saw another server droid out the corner of his eye and called it over. He took the drink off its tray, whiskey, by the look and smell of it. The droid protested and turned to grab another from the bar against the far wall. Kylo broke away from Rey’s lips to drink from the glass and it burned it's way down his throat. It was definitely whiskey. Rey moved to his neck and ear lobe, grinding on his lap, as he slowly drank the rest of his drink, his eyes scanning the club. She ran her hands through his hair, and then pulled back, hard, eliciting a growl from him. She was definitely getting bold. He finished his drink and set the glass down, turning his face to rejoin with Rey’s lips. There was a tingling down his spine, a very slight disturbance in the force. His eyes shot open again, scanning the room. His booth was against the wall, so he had no fear of someone sneaking behind him. He caught Jacen’s eyes, who had most likely felt it too, through the haze of the drugs. Jacen scanned the room also, and then his eyes stopped, and he froze, before composing himself and moving again, acting natural. Kylo followed his gaze, shifting Rey atop him so it looked like he was reacting to her advances. At the bar, were three Mandalorians in black armor, a red skull on the upper arm. They were talking to the bartender, who just shrugged his shoulders, and continued wiping down the bar. One of the men passed the bartender a chip, credits. The bartender looked from the Death Dealer to the chip, and then slid it into his pocket, nodding. The Mandalorians turned away from the bar, looking out into the crowd. Kylo ducked his eyes back down at Rey, wondering who exactly the gang was looking for in the Lexus. 

Jacen migrated back over to his spot, without the Twi’Lek girl. The human that clung to him was drunk, and clumsy, and when Jacen let go of her, she collapsed in the booth, sprawled out. Jacen pushed her further up, before sitting down across from Kylo. Rey had slowed her advances atop of him, and he knew the drug was wearing off. She had gotten half a dose, and her body burned through it pretty quick. She had probably sensed his agitation and curiosity towards the Mandalorians, and she no doubt also felt the slight disturbance in the force. She crawled off of him, blushing, and tucked herself under his arm. Kylo kept his eyes on the crowd and the Mandalorians, who were searching just like he was. Surely anyone who knew the mercenaries were out for them wouldn't have shown their face at the most prestigious and well known club on this side of the planet. Kylo and his knights were the only group more terrifying than the Death Dealers, and were likely the only group that would be able to best them in battle. The Mandalorians were strong, fast, and intelligent, but that didn't beat the Force or the type of training his knights endured. He was unafraid of them, just curious as to who they were looking for and why it mattered, or else the Force wouldn't have warned him. The club had began to die down, the partiers were either tired, passed out, or moving on to after parties. Kylo tossed a serving droid the credits he owed for the drinks, and flashed his fake ID card. 

The Gang made their way out the door, and Kylo’s group followed behind them. Kylo grabbed Rey’s cloak from the booth, and they left the passed out human. There's no way Jacen was bringing her home like that. 

The small group exited the club, Rey wrapping her arm around Kylo’s waist, as his arm was draped across her shoulders. She was leaning into him, smiling, giggling at something Jacen had said, but the only thing Kylo was focused on was the three Death Dealers, hovering around his and Jacen’s bike. Kylo didn't slow his pace, as he walked towards his bikes. 

“Can I help you, Gentlemen?” he asked, making sure to keep his voice deep and tight, not letting any emotion out. Rey tightened her grip around his waist as all three men looked her up and down. 

“Nice speeders,” one said through his helmet. 

“Yes, they're quite nice,” Kylo agreed, as he pulled Rey around the group of men to stand beside his bike. Jacen stood at his, fist clenched next to the Darksaber hilt strapped to his leg. The Mandalorians glanced between the three of them, taking in the hilts strapped to their bodies. Kylo noticed as the one in the middle slightly twitched his fingers, and the other two Dealers stepped back. 

“Where does one acquire such a nice bike? Surely no one but  First Order officers could afford them,” the leader said, tilting his head, no doubt reading Kylo’s emotions, but Kylo kept his face straight. 

“Aye, a First Order officer might be able to afford one, if he ever came off the blasted Star Destroyers. Maybe a good spice smuggler, or bounty hunter, could afford them,” Kylo copied the leaders head tilt, while running his fingers down the seat of his bike. 

The Mandalorian scoffed from behind his helmet, but he seemed satisfied with Kylo’s answer, and he stepped back. Kylo could feel the man's eyes on Rey and he pulled her further behind him, shading her from the Mandalorians’ stares, and the leader jerked his head at the other two Dealers and then the men went to their own bikes. Kylo climbed atop of his, and Rey jumped behind him, as he kicked his bike to life. Jacen was beside him, doing the same, and they weaved through the late night crowds of people and speeders to Kylo’s flat. They parked the bikes, and Kylo locked them in place with the magnetic strip below them, so no one got the bright idea to run off with them. 

Only when they stepped in the house did Kylo relax. He shrugged off the jacket, and hung it on the wall, and kicked his heavy boots off. Rey dropped her cloak at the door, and hung it over Kylo’s jacket, and then made her way to the hallway. She must've wanted to change clothes. Jacen slapped his shoulder as he walked past, slipping into the kitchen. Kylo followed him, hungry. The clock on the wall said 0448. He opened the kryo-fridge fridge and pulled out a loaf of bread and his favorite Corellian apple jam. He turned the stove on, and little flames licked at the air. He placed three pieces of bread down, and let the flames just barely touch the bread, toasting it. It was a trick he learned from Chewy, when the Wookie was on babysitting duty. Kylo flipped the bread and toasted the other side, and then slapped jam on one side, spreading it evenly. 

“Rey,” he called out, wanting her to come eat. 

There was only silence, so he called out once more, louder. 

_ I'm in the shower, Ben. I feel all sticky and gross.  _

Kylo laughed at her, and took a bite from his bread, sharing with her the taste. He could feel her stomach rumbling, and he took another bite. 

_ There's a piece for you,  _ was all he said before he left her mind to shower in peace. Jacen was going to town on his, still looking around in the kryo-fridge. Living with Jacen was like living with a pubescent boy, he was always eating. Jacen pulled out the carton of blue milk, and poured a glass, before shoving it back in, grabbing a Binka fruit. He took one of the small kitchen knives to the sitting room with him. 

Rey padded into the kitchen, with barefeet. She was wearing black leggings and a black undershirt, but her tunic was a light grey. Her hair was in a messy braid down her back. Kylo handed her the piece of toast, and she crunched down into it, as he turned her and redid the braid with ease. It still confused him as to where he learned how to braid. He never watched his mother do her hair, and he didn't have any female friends or relatives to watch. The only thing he could remember was a very vague, blurry memory of a small girl sitting in his lap with a small braid in her hair. 

Kylo patted Rey’s back to let her know he was down, and she turned around, wiping the crumbs off her shirt. He kissed her forehead, then turned, as his Holovid flashed on. Jacen was laid across the sofa, surfing through the channels. 

“So  _ this _ is what the Knights do in their freetime,” Rey teased, walking over to the other sofa. Jacen had chosen a channel, some kind of game show where components had to build a machines like speeders and astro droids from scraps of metal around them. Kylo and Rey sat down on the sofa, meanwhile Jacen and Rey were already fighting with each other about the best way to build the speeder. He zoned out, planning his next week, when his mind went back to the Death Dealers. They had said something about a First Order officer. Were they looking for one? Maybe Hux’s list of enemies had finally grown too big, and someone on the inside had had enough. But Kylo couldn't have been mistaken for the flame-haired Hux. It could have been anyone that the mercenaries were looking for. No one would dare put a price on Kylo’s head, that was a fact. He could and would cut down anyone, and no one stood a chance against him or his knights, especially some mercenaries. Kylo shrugged the thought of someone coming after him off. The only group he had to to worry about was his mother's Resistance. Rey was still very much apart of them, there was no way she'd denounce them and join the Order, but Kylo wasn't part of the Order either. The Knights of Ren and the order were two completely different groups under Snoke. 

Kylo was pulled back to reality by the feeling of Rey standing up. She was pointing at Jacen, yelling. 

“I had to build my own speeder in Jakku from pieces and parts that I paid with my food rations, which I got from scavenging old star destroyers. Please, tell me, Jacen Ren, where you got your experience in building speeders from junk?” 

Jacen also stood up, “You're not the only person in the universe who's had it tough, Rey. Yeah, maybe I haven't built any speeders, but I know robotics and engineering!” he spat back at her. 

Rey stepped back, angry and frustrated, and Kylo flicked the Holovid off. 

“That's enough for the day,  _ children _ ,” he scolded. 

His knight and Rey both looked at him, scowling. Jacen stalked back into the kitchen, and Rey stood, her arms crossed over chest, still angry. He could feel it radiating off her, so he stood and took her hand.

“Come, follow me,” he said, pulling her around the furniture. 

They walked back into the dark hallway that lead to the lift. He stopped in the darkest spot, and sat on the floor, his legs crossed. Rey followed him, sighing. 

“Please don't tell me to meditate,” she whined, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. 

He closed his, and smiled, “Meditate, Rey.”

“You're just as bad as Luke, always asking me to sit still when I'm angry-” 

“There is no dark side, nor a light side,” he cut her off, and he felt her spike of curiosity. 

Rey opened her mouth, but Kylo quickly shushed her. 

“There is only the force. I will do what I must to keep the balance, the balance is what keeps me together. There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish. There is passion, yet peace. Serenity, yet emotion. Chaos, yet order. I am the wielder of the flame, the protector of balance. I am the holder of the torch, lighting the way. I am the keeper of the flame, soldier of balance. I am a guardian of balance,” Kylo trailed off, and opened his eyes to Rey. 

Her eyes were wide, and she was panting hard. 

“Ben, where did you hear that?” 


	8. Chapter 8

Rey was confused. Kylo had just recited a speech from her dreams, perfectly. 

“Ben, where did you hear that?” she asked, frantic. 

He shrugged, “In a dream. Nothing helped me to meditate, until I heard it in a dream. It's a code, I guess, I just don't know what from. It's not Sith or Jedi. Why?”

“Because, Ben, I heard it in a dream too. A lot of my dreams. I was looking into a cave, and something would pull me in, and I'd hear the voice, whispering it to me. Or I could be standing over a cliff, above a battle, someone I couldn't see was always behind me,” Rey trailed off, remembering the dreams that would keep her awake at night, thinking. 

“It was always the same voice, a man's voice. I swear that I could recognize it, but I don't know where from,” she began again. 

Kylo was looking over at her, puzzled.

“The voice in my dream was also a man, but I don't know him. I would be in the darkness, falling, never stopping, when he'd speak to me, and a light would show at the end of the tunnel that I was falling in, and once I got there, I surrounded by light, and there was a sound, of maybe waves, or wind through the trees. I'm not sure. But I could always feel, but never see, a person in front of me,” Kylo said softly, his brows scrunched together in thought. 

“I need to speak to Luke about this,” Rey began getting up, but Kylo yanked her back on the ground.

“Please, Rey, don't tell him. I won't tell Snoke. I can't lose you, not again,” he begged, eyes pleading. 

In that moment he wasn't Kylo Ren, or even a Knight, he was a scared little boy, begging someone not to go. Rey scooted over to him, and cupped his face in her hands. She searched his eyes, and felt his loneliness, and fear.

“What happened to you, Ben?” she asked, knowing he knew what she meant. 

“I don't know. I was being torn apart. He would never leave me, and my parents never understood. He was the only one who could help me,” he whispered, staring off at something far away. 

“Who helped you? Snoke?” Rey asked, brushing the hair from his face. 

Kylo nodded, silent, his eyes still focused on something that wasn't there. 

“Will you show me, Ben? Help me to understand,” Rey begged him, a silent tear dripping from an eye. 

She had to know why Kylo was so broken, why he was so scared of the light. She felt his mind open, and she gently brushed against it, before entering. She was plunged into a memory, seeing and feeling what Kylo felt and saw. 

_ A broken toy lay in Ben's lap, and his hands were shaking. The boy who had broken it was across the room, crying, from where Ben had used the force to push him. He was no more than six years old. His mother came crashing into the room, followed by his father and Chewy. Leia looked from Ben to the boy, and hurried over to the hurt child. She carried him out of the room, saying something to Han as she walked past. Han was angry, his fists clenching and unclenching at his side. He was staring down at Ben, who had never seen his father so mad.  _

_ “What did I tell you about controlling your anger, Ben? You hurt that boy!” Han yelled at him, and Ben shrunk down.  _

_ Chewie rumbled behind Han, defending the child, but Han waved him off, and he marched over to Ben. He picked him up by the collar of his shirt and gave him a quick, sharp swat across his backside. Ben didn't want to cry in front of his father. Han never cried, and Ben didn't want to be weak. Silent tears streamed down his face as his father kept scolding him.  _

_ “The man told me to do it. He said I was stronger,” Ben tried explaining, but his father didn't understand.  _

_ Leia came back, surprised to see Ben crying and Han yelling, and picked Ben up, silencing Han.  _

_ “Don't baby him, Leia, or he's going to keep hurting people!” Han shouted, but Leia ignored him. Ben shoved his face into his mother's hair, happy to be wrapped in warm arms.  _

_ “Now, tell me, Ben. What happened?” his mother asked, setting him down on the kitchen counter.  _

_ “He broke my x-wing, and the man in my head said he had to be punished, that I was stronger. He wasn't allowed to break my stuff,” Ben started crying, holding his head. The voice was always getting him in trouble.  _

_ Leia took his hands, and wiped away his tears.  _

_ “You need to stop listening to him, Ben, and do what you think is right. You can't use your powers to hurt people,” Leia instructed him, and he listened.  _

_ It was two years later, and Ben hadn't used the force to hurt anything after the boy. He used it to play with his Uncle Luke, and to show kids in school, but everyone thought he was a freak, except the voice. He went on his first flight with Han without his mother, and they were going to Tokadona. The orange lady, Maz Kanata was like Ben, and he liked to show her what he could do. She always smiled, and said how strong he was with the force. Han was talking to some strange men that Ben didn't know, and they kept pointing at him. Then one pushed his father and pointed a blaster at him. Ben was scared, and angry, and the voice kept telling him to do it, defend his father. The cup in Ben's hands shattered, and the broken glass flew at the men, and they fell, screaming. The entire cantina was staring at Ben, who's hands were shaking. One of the men got up, and yelled at Han, calling Ben a freak, but the other strange man didn't get up, a dark pool spreading around him. Han looked up at Ben, and he could feel his father's fear. His father was afraid of him. Ben ran around the bar, straight into the arms of Maz Kanata. She silenced him, and held him, telling him everything was going to be alright. People fear what they do not understand.  _

_ Uncle Luke started coming around more, and his father was around less. Sometimes he didn't see his father for weeks, and when he did, Han barely spoke to him. He was older now, he could control his powers better, and he tried showing his father, who only got mad at Leia, saying his son has too much Vader in him.  _

_ Ben and Chewy were playing Dejarik while Han and Leia were at another meeting with the important people, and the Wookie had beaten him for the second time and Ben got angry, losing his temper, he Threw both the table and Chewy back, and broke Chewy’s arm. The Wookie had forgiven him immediately, but his father never did.  _

_ He went to go live with his Uncle Luke after that. His parents left him alone at ten years old, with the voice in his head. The voice only grew stronger as Luke trained him, saying everything Luke was teaching him made him weak. He needed to be more powerful to make his parents love him again, to make his father not be scared of him. Ben trained with the voice in secret, and he even made his very own lightsaber, with a broken red kyber crystal. He had visions of himself when he was older, with a beautiful woman, holding her, promising her the galaxy.  _

_ Ben had such big shoes to fill, grandson of Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Queen Padmé Amidala. Son of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa. Nephew of Luke Skywalker. Everyone expected so much from him, good, bad. He was a force user, and his family consisted of legends and royalty.  _

_ A girl showed up one day, and she made Ben happy. The memories of her were fuzzy, like they weren't his own, but he remembered the way she smiled at him, and how she made him happy, made him forget that his parents didn't love him. One day, Luke got mad at him, and threatened to take the girl away, and the voice said not to let him do that. The voice instructed him to destroy the academy, to leave no one alive. He said the Jedi were weak, and an abomination to the force. Ben could not bring himself to kill the young children, so he sent knights to do it instead. He was about to march into Luke's chambers, when he heard the little girl scream, and he ran back to her, killing the knight who was about to cut her down. His memory was black after that. _

_ Snoke asked him to pick a name, and he used parts of Skywalker and Solo to make Kylo, and Snoke named him Kylo Ren, of the Knights of Ren. Kylo grew powerful with the dark side, training alongside his knights, and he completed every mission Snoke sent him on. He bested the previous First Knight, and took his place as the Master of the Knights of Ren. Snoke told him his feelings for his parents are what made him so weak. He had to forget about them to become one with the Dark side, but Kylo still felt the pull to the light. It would eat at him, until he was sleeping, and he would dream of the beautiful woman in his arms.  _

_ He would dream of her, lost in an ocean of sand, waiting for something, for someone, to come back. _

_ Snoke invaded his mind, and moved memories and emotions, trying to mold Kylo into the perfect warrior. Kylo obeyed Snoke’s every order. His life was ripped apart and torn upside down when he heard about a girl on Jakku that aided the traitor and droid to escape. He found her, finally, on Tokadona, and he could have cried. She was the woman from his visions, from his dreams, this scavenger from Jakku. Something was so familiar about her, besides the fact that he dreamed of her very night.  _

_ He opened her mind to the Force on Starkiller, and he knew he couldn't live without her. She was everything, and then he cut down his father, to prove his was strong with the darkside, but it only pulled him closer to the light. _

_ He could not bring himself to kill the girl on Starkiller, despite the whispers of Snoke in his head. He played with her, until she tapped into her true power, and used his knowledge of fighting to best him. And then she was gone, as the earth split open, and he was alone again. No parents, and no girl. He could feel the girl, though, feel what she could feel, hear what she heard. He healed, and his punishment for his failures came quickly and without mercy, the electrostaff burning deep into his skin and muscles as his hands were bound out to the side. Snoke was in his head, beating him down from the inside and the out, and he put all the strength he had into making sure the girl did not know what was happening to him. _

And then Rey was suddenly pulled back into reality, tears streaming down her face, her hands shaking. Snoke had been molding the man in front of her from infancy, basically, into an attack dog, a great warrior who's only worthy opponent was himself. Tears streamed down Kylo’s face. 

“Please,” Kylo begged her, looking into her eyes. “Please don't leave me,” he whispered, and the man in front of her broke. 

He pulled his legs up to his chest, and she was flooded by his insecurities and self doubt. The all consuming fear he had, that at some point, he might have to cut down his own mother, the only one who defended him as a child. The guilt that racked his body at the thought that he had killed his father, despite the fact that the man was missing most of his life. He wanted to be just like Han, strong and cunning, who could talk his way out of anything. He wanted to love someone the way Han loved his mother.  

Rey crawled into Kylo’s arms and held him, as he held her. This was all Rey wanted, him. She had been so lonely for so long, just like he was, and now she couldn't let go of him. 

“I love you too much to ever leave you, Ben Solo,” she whispered into his chest, and he only wrapped his arms around her tighter. 

_ But you love Finn, and you left him,  _ he cried, sinking further into his sadness. 

_ Yes, I love Finn. But I'm in love with you, Ben, and I will never love somebody the way I love you,  _ she whispered back at him, and he looked up. 

She could feel it, the words were so hard for him to get out. He had pushed aside love and any form of sentiment for a long time, but when he finally said it, she had never heard any truer words come from his mouth. 

“I love you, Rey,” and then he kissed her, full and deep, sealing the words. 

.

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“I love you, Rey,” he forced the words out of his mouth. It's not like he didn't mean them, he very much did. He had pushed aside all love and sentiment for a very long time, and it was hard to admit to himself that he actually loved the girl. He pressed his lips to hers, and kissed her, cupping her face in his hands. 

When he finally pulled away, Rey was smiling, and she wiped the tears off his face with her sleeve. He did the same for her, smiling down. 

“Jacen might be worried as to what we're doing in this dark corner,” Rey smirked, and leaned up to give him a quick kiss. 

Kylo pulled her all the way on top of, falling down onto the cold floor. 

“Let him worry,” he whispered, and then said a little louder, so Jacen could hear, “If he's worried, he can come check on us.” 

Jacen laughed from the sitting room, “I know better to check on you when you have a girl in a dark corner of the house,” he shouted back.

Rey stopped kissing him, and Kylo shut his eyes, and slammed his head into the durasteel floor. Rey put her hands on Kylo’s chest and leaned up. 

“What was that, Jacen?” she asked, feigning that she hadn't heard him the first time. 

“I said I know better.. oh.. uh. It's nothing Rey, nevermind, it's not important,” Jacen stopped talking. 

She looked back down at Kylo, who was peeking at her from one half open eye. She stood up quickly, angry. 

“Exactly how many girls have you brought to your house?” she asked, hurt. 

Kylo pulled himself to his feet, muttering, not meeting her eyes. 

“I asked how many!” she yelled at him. 

He looked taken aback by her anger. 

“I don't know why you're so angry. It's not like we were ever together. It doesn't matter how many girls have been in and out. I honestly couldn't tell you, anyways,” Kylo spat back, trying his hardest to defend himself. 

“It's not that you brought any here, it's the fact that you made me believe I was special, that I was the only one to enter the home of  _ Kylo Ren _ ,” she spat, but instantly regretted using the name. 

His eyes narrowed and jaw clenched at the use of his name. She had never called him by it before, she didn't believe it was him. 

“Not once did I tell you, Rey, that you were the only girl to stay here,” he said through gritted teeth, and she could tell he was fighting back an outburst of anger. 

She realized then, that maybe she overreacted. Of course he would bring girls here, he even said on her first day on the Finalizer that he had had hundreds of women across the galaxy. Was she foolish to think they wouldn't have come here? 

“They were only good fucks, Rey,” he finally blurted. 

“I was not going to live the life of a monk, or a Jedi for that matter. I wanted to enjoy my life while I could, and if that meant inviting women into my home, into my bed, then that's what I did. None of them meant a damn thing to me, and I didn't even know most of their names,” he admitted, and then he smiled. Rey could see the memory. 

There was one name, that he remembered very clearly. Rey stepped back, disgusted. 

“Captain Phasma?! You  _ have  _ to be kidding me!” she pushed him back. 

He only smiled and shook his head which enraged her further. 

“We were both drunk, Rey, and I only did it to piss Hux off,” he told her, and that sparked amusement in her. 

“Phasma and Hux?” she asked. 

He nodded, quickly, and she burst into giggles, imitating Phasma’s voice through the mask, “Oh, General!” 

Kylo’s eyes lit up, and he joined, scrunching his face together. 

“Oh my, Captain Phasma, what big muscles you have. I've never been touched like, oooooh!” Kylo played in a voice that sounded nothing but everything like Hux. 

“My oh my, General, could it be, you've never been touched by a woman,” Rey said, mimicking Phasma. 

"Only by my mother,” Kylo laughed, and picked Rey up, twirling her around, and all she could do was burst into giggles.

Kylo pushed her against the wall, and began tickling her sides, much in the way that Jacen had done on the shuttle, but Kylo’s fingers were much longer and lighter on her skin, and she squirmed and laughed, forgetting her anger. 

Rey couldn't breathe from laughing so hard, and her lungs burnt. Her arm lashed out, punching Kylo. An  _ oomph _ escaped from him, as air was pushed from his lungs, and he stopped tickling her, allowing her to catch her breath. She put her hands on her knees and panted, as Kylo tried pulling air back into his own lungs. He pulled his shirt up, revealing a quickly forming bruise above his bowcaster scar, and Rey grasped her side, the pain suddenly flaring. 

“God damn, how hard did I hit you?” she asked, all she remembered was a flurry of arms and she had reached out to make contact with something to get him to let her up. 

“Hard enough,” he gasped, pulling her shirt up to see if she bruised, and she wasn't. 

“It was for earlier,” she said obnoxiously, flashing her teeth at him. 

His hand flashed up and grabbed her face, fingers digging into her cheeks. He bent down and kissed her. 

“Hit me first, next time you're mad at me,” he said through his teeth, and let her go. 

She stalked over to the kitchen, and found that Jacen had the Holovid on again, but this time it was on the news. The First Order made an airstrike on Yavin 4, on what they thought was a new Resistance base, but instead it was a small town that Resistance had aided in a time of need, after a fire had destroyed supplies, and the First Order killed every person in the town. She looked over to Kylo who was standing in the walkway, frozen, staring at the screen. Jacen was sitting up in the sofa, elbows on his knees. 

“How could Hux be so  _ stupid _ ?!” Jacen yelled, standing quickly. 

It was the first time Rey had heard him raise his voice, and it honestly frightened her some. 

“This is exactly what the First Order needs, bad publicity. Every settlement in the Yavin system will be Resistance supporters now,” Jacen was pacing in front of the Holovid as scenes of complete and udder destruction flashed across the scene. Rey covereed her mouth as it zoomed in on a blood and soot covereed doll, that eerily looked like the one she made on Jakku.

“I thought that's what you guys wanted?” Rey asked. “To be feared.”

Jacen’s head snapped up, his blue eyes piercing through her. 

“Don't be so quick as to associate the Knights of Ren with the First Order, Rey. They have a different agenda than us. We follow Kylo and the laws of the Brotherhood of Ren. We are not part of the military regime that is the First Order,” he hissed at her, before turning sharply again.

Kylo was behind her suddenly, and she whipped around, but his face was soft. 

“Do not mind Jacen. He is upset with Hux. He hates him just as much as I do,” Kylo whispered. “Give him a couple minutes, and he'll get over it.” 

Rey sighed and leaned against the counter, thirsty. Kylo read her easily, and held out a glass of something blue. 

“It's milk, just drink,” he ordered her, and she took a sip of the cold liquid. It was sweet and creamy, like the kind she had on the Resistance base during their morning meals.

They stayed in the kitchen, thinking about the shared voice, as Jacen finally sat back down from his pacing. The clock said 0600. Rey groaned inwardly. They had a very long day ahead of them before they could sleep in Coruscant time. 

“Can we please train?” she asked Kylo, looking up at him through her lashes. “With weapons this time, I'm sick of throwing things at each other.”

“Yeah, I don't see a problem with it. In fact, we could all use a little sparring,” Kylo said loud enough for Jacen to hear.

The blond man jumped from his seat.

“Now that's a word I will never get tired of hearing,” he said, strolling towards the two of them. 

Rey had never seen Jacen fight before, she had only briefly seen him working on his forms when Kylo introduced her to the knights. His Darksaber was on his thigh, and shivers ran through her spine at the memory of such a weapon humming in her hands. Kylo grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the hall, where he put a pin into a pad on the wall. Another little wall emerged with a rack on it, holding the same weapons she saw on in the training room on the Finalizer. There was also an electrostaff. She reached out, and stopped herself, remembering what happened last time. 

“Go ahead. I have restrictors to put on it,” Kylo told her, and she picked up the weapon. He grabbed 4 of the little chips, and closed the wall again. He lead her further down the hall to another door, and he opened it to an outdoor recreation area. There was grass and rocks and a gravel bed. It was the perfect place to train. She held up the staff, and Kylo put a chip at each end, before he put another on his hilt, and tossed the other to Jacen. 

“So how are we going to do this?” Rey asked, looking between the two men. 

“You're going to both fight me,” Kylo said, “But Rey, you're going to use your battle meditation to overtake Jacen’s mind and use him as an extension of yourself.”

“What?!” Her and Jacen both said at the same time, looking at each other. 

“You didn't think your battle meditation only let you concentrate during a fight, Rey, did you? Or is that what Skywalker told you? Your power is almost limitless when it comes to battle meditation. You can break down the walls of your enemies mind, make them turn on themselves, make them doubt, fumble. You can take over the mind of those fighting beside you and use them as like a weapon,” Kylo beamed. 

Jacen looked at her and she watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. She suddenly felt nervous. 

“How do I do it?” she asked, glancing between the two men. 

“That's what you have to figure out. I don't know battle meditation, it's a rare gift. Let's start with just sparring, and we'll go from there. Empty your mind,” Kylo’s soft voice suggested. 

Rey closed her eyes, and ignited her staff. She kept her eyes closed as she pulled a leg back in fighting stance, and heard Jacen doing the same. She closed her mind to Kylo, and emptied it, concentrating on the fight ahead of her. When she opened her eyes, she was in a haze, as Kylo sprinted to her, saber above his head, glinting and sputtering. She turned quickly, avoiding his attack, and watched as his blade met with Jacen’s. Both men had wide smiles on their faces, enjoying the games of war. Rey swung her blade at Kylo’s feet, hoping to catch him off guard, but he turned quickly, blocking her sweep, and pushed her staff away. He spun and blocked Jacen’s attack, and it turned into an attack on Rey. Kylo was fast, very fast, and she realized then how much he had held back on Starkiller. Kylo Ren was a machine meant for war, lean, quick, and inhumanely strong. She deepened her trance, as Kylo pushed Jacen away with the force and swung at Rey in a flurry of attacks, almost too quick for her to catch. Rey was terrified of Kylo. He was savage, primal, and yet, beautiful. She was equally scared and turned on. There was no way she and Jacen would beat him, not like this. She remembered Kylo’s words, that she could control the people at her side, break down her enemy's walls. She pushed her force out to Jacen, feeling his signature. She pushed harder, consuming him, soaking up his force, wrapping around his mind. 

Rey then pushed, willing Jacen to go on the defensive, as she attacked. Jacen’s face contorted, like he was struggling with something, and then his form changed, and he was defending himself instead of raining blows on Kylo’s blade. Rey came from the side, attacking Kylo, quick slashes and thrusts. She remembered how she had used his knowledge and anger on Starkiller to overpower again, and she brushed across his mind. She pushed the will to yield at him, over and over and over, and Kylo grew slower. Anger spiked off of him, but he was unable to fight it, until his arms shook, and he couldn't lift them. Rey released Jacen from her hold, and he pepped up, looking around. Kylo just stood, glaring at Rey, shaking in her hold. Rey pulled back from her trance, and smiled wide at Jacen. 

Suddenly her feet were kicked out from under her, and Jacen was on the ground next to her. A black shadow loomed over her.

“No one said ‘yield’,” Kylo smirked down, and then he brought his saber over his head, and plummeted it towards Rey face, and she screamed. 

She could feel the heat of the blade, as it was just inches from her face, buzzing and sputtering.  

“Yield,” she coughed, and Kylo deactivated his saber.

He reached down and pulled her to her feet, beaming. 

“That was much better,” he praised her, pulling her into his chest. “The galaxy will be yours.”    
  



	9. Chapter 9

Kylo allowed Rey to shower before him, and he wiped his forehead with his sleeve as he felt her step out. The dust had mixed with his sweat and turned it into mud on his face and in his hair. Jacen came out of the main washroom, nice and clean, and Kylo couldn't wait to step under the hot waters in his own shower. 

_ You can come in, Ben _ , Rey told him from across the house. 

Kylo didn't waste a single second, and strolled down the hallway towards his room. He gently pushed the door open, and found Rey in front of his dresser, in her underwear, wrapping her breasts. He strode over to her and replaced her hands with his, easily reaching around her small frame. He tucked the end into the back, and kissed her shoulder. Rey relaxed into him, and moaned quietly. He smiled into her shoulder and moved away, towards the washroom, stripping himself of his layers of clothing on his way in, his dark robes leaving a trail behind him. He could feel the burning of Rey’s eyes as she watched him, and he smiled wider. He wasn't about to turn around and give her what she wanted. He enjoyed making Rey squirm, making her beg for him. He turned the water on in his black shower, and stood under the falling water, combing his fingers through his hair. 

Kylo scrubbed the dirt and sand out of his scalp and crevices, and stood under the scalding water, thinking. He and Rey could stay here and train until he was called back to the Finalizer, and then she'd be ready. She would become a Knight of Ren and join him at his side. There would have to be an trial, though, and a hard one. He had to extinguish every life in the Jedi Academy for him to become a knight. Maybe she would aid in the attack of a Resistance base? She wouldn't turn on her friend's, she's quite loyal. Kylo pushed a much darker and treasonous thought out of his mind before it grew into a festering wound. Snoke may not be able to read him from the throne room anymore, but if he requested Kylo’s presence, there was no hiding his thoughts. 

Kylo shut the water off and shook out his hair before he walked across the washroom to grab his towel. The soft material soaked up the water quickly, as he wrapped it around his waist. 

Rey was in laying on his bed, belly down, when he opened the door. He could see the holopad in her hand, and she was looking at something. 

Kylo cleared his throat, “So do you want to go into Coco Town? Look around a bit?”

Rey rolled over and sat up, smiling, “I'd love to. I've never been to a market or anything. Just Niima Outpost.”

Kylo felt a twinge of guilt in his stomach. She had been so isolated and cut off in Jakku. He walked over to her and grabbed her hand, and placed in on his chest. 

“I'll show you the universe Rey. You and I,” he promised, before letting her hand drop. 

A thought struck him and he turned around, and pulled a small box out of his drawer. He faced her and opened it, and he quickly slipped the small trinket over her wrist. She looked down at it, surprised. 

“What's this?” she asked, lifting her wrist to admire the bracelet. The small red gems that hung off of it reflected on the walls of his room. She thumbed the largest of stones, set into a pendant. 

“It's a gift,” was the answer he gave her.

He quickly put on clothes, the usual black attire, and he and Rey walked out to the sitting room to meet Jacen. The group left Kylo’s flat and made their way to their cloud bikes. It was a short trip to Coco Town, the sun beating down on their backs. Kylo could feel Rey's awe at the sight of so many different species and races around the market. Her arms were wrapped tight around his torso as he and Jace raced into the heart of the little city subdivision. They passed Dex’s Diner, a legendary little hole in the wall throughout the galaxy, a line moving out the door. They weaved through the city traffic in market town, before parking their bikes at the closest open spot.

Rey quickly got off the speeder, and took in the sights of Coco Town. Kylo intertwined his fingers through hers, and pulled her around the markets. 

They spent hours going through each little vendor and shop, and Kylo showed off his haggling abilities. He had bought Rey a gift, a small doll wearing an orange flight suit. It had black hair and brown eyes, and reminded Kylo of the pilot that had helped Finn escape, Poe Dameron. Rey said it was like the one she had made on Jakku. He had also bought her any cloth item she wanted, even if she begged him not to. He was going to show what it was like to be at his side, where she didn't have to struggle to survive, or even clothe herself. She was an Empress, awaiting her throne. 

By the time Jacen and Kylo had parked their speeders in front of Kylo’s flat, the sun had gone down, and the night air was cool on their skin. It was 21:00, perfect timing if they were to sleep with the day cycle of Coruscant. The service droid brought in all of the market goods, except the doll, which Rey hadn't let go of.  Kylo was pleased to notice that the droid had moved all of Rey's belongings from Jacen’s room to his, and the Knight’s spare clothes were stacked on the bed. 

Rey shuffled into Kylo’s room, yawning, and he watched as she changed into sleeping clothes. He followed suit, and dressed in long silk pants, not bothering to put a shirt on. His flat was warm, hot, compared to the Finalizer. Kylo pulled Rey tight up against his body, and sleep quickly fell over them, the last thirty something hours had been exhausting.

.

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.

 

The next three weeks on Coruscant had been uneventful. Rey and the two knights practiced every day, honing her Battle meditation. She had grown closer to Kylo, closer than she ever thought she could, and her years of loneliness on Jakku had been swept away in a torrent of his affection. She helped him calm down from his many frightening tantrums, only ever afraid he would hurt her if they got bad, but he never did. Her fear of him would immediately shut him down, and his mood would go from rage to guilt in less than a second. It was how she knew that he was still Ben Solo.  They had gone back to the Lexus a couple times, but began avoiding the prestigious club after the Mandalorian gang took up permanent residence. Of course they weren't scared of the death dealers, but it was best to lie low, so the entire city planet didn't know that Kylo Ren, his first knight, and his new young apprentice were spending their days in a flat on the planet. Other knights came and went over the weeks, but Jacen always stayed. Rey's only guess was that Kylo only sent Jacen out on the most important missions, not willing to sacrifice his one of his only force wielding knight on some elementary level mission gone wrong. 

She noticed the bond between the two knights. It was unlike his connection with her, there was no force bond. It was more formed out of camaraderie. They knew each other's every quirk and flaw, especially whilst sparring. While Rey and Kylo moved like two storms, crashing together and forming a super cell, Jacen and Kylo moved like the moon and sun, where one falters the other rises above. There was not a single hint of shared DNA, and yet, Rey had never seen two closer brothers. They were equals in each other's eyes, even though Kylo’s skills with the force far surpassed that of Jacen’s, and his saber skills were superior of the lower knight's. The only time anyone could see that Kylo was above Jacen’s status within the Knights of Ren, was the small bows, or tipping of a head, when Jacen greeted his superior, or when another Knight came in for a debriefing of a mission, and Jacen had to resume his noble and stoic facade. 

Rey withdrew from her thoughts at the sound of the two men wrestling around in Kylo’s little green patch. Rey had been reading something on the holopad, a fairytale. The two men grappled each other, one tall, rippling with lean muscle, the other dense and compact. They were at a stalemate, both having the other in a yielding grip. 

“Okay, 3...2..1..” Kylo counted down, and both men released each other and threw themselves onto the ground, laughing. Rey loved the moments like this, where Kylo was genuinely happy. A broad smile spread over his face as his shoulders tremored with laughter. He caught Rey's gaze, and his eyes and face softened. Her heart skipped as he glanced over her body, and licked his lips. The sun was quickly falling on the city planet, and Rey was itching to get out. She didn't know how many more cheesy movies she could watch on the Holovid before she went insane.

“Can we go out tonight? We don't have to go to the Lexus, I'm okay with anything, I just can't take anymore Togruta docu-dramas,” she asked Kylo, before leaning back on her elbows.  

Kylo raised his eyebrows and looked over at Jacen. 

“How about Dex’s?” he asked, shaking his black locks out of his eyes. 

Rey's smile dropped. 

“We've been to Dex’s almost every day,” she whined. She had gotten so used to having her way with Kylo, that it was getting ridiculous. She was so spoiled. She reveled in the attention he gave her, craving his touch, his embrace, his approval. 

He smiled back at her and sighed.

“We can hit up that little cantina, the uh… the Rising Sun?” he suggested. 

Rey knew which cantina he was talking about, they had had drinks in it a few times. She smiled and nodded, and rose to change her clothes. 

It was a little after 1700 hours when the small group arrived at the cantina. Kylo made sure to lock the bikes in place in this area of town. The cantina was lively and almost filled to capacity, but the group found a table in the far corner. Kylo always had his back to the wall, facing the door, so Rey let him pick his chair before she sat down. Her heavy cloak wrapped around her snugly. Her commlink burned in her pocket. She wanted so badly to call her friends. She had gotten so many worried messages from them. She kept her desire to talk to Finn hidden from Kylo, unsure of how he'd react. Rey glanced down as three glasses slid down the table, and she noticed the thick purple rum. She raised the glass to her mouth and stopped when Kylo grabbed her wrist. The drink sloshed over the edge, and she scowled at him, about to say something when he flashed an image through her mind. Death Dealers. They were relaxed against the bar, looking out into the crowd, much in the way they had at the Lexus on her first night here. She looked back down at the drink in her hand, and set it down, her stomach queasy. The dealers had a knack of showing up everywhere the trio went, and it made Rey uneasy. 

_ You don't think they'd poison our drinks, do you?  _ She asked Kylo, silently. 

_ I don't know, love. They're awfully suspicious. They are far from weak minded, also. I can't get into their heads without them noticing,  _ Kylo responded.

Jacen waved at the droid to bring another round, and the three of them watched very closely as it went about making the drinks for them. She could feel the eyes of the Mandalorians on her, and she straightened her back, unwilling to let them intimidate her. More than their gaze, she could feel Kylo’s eyes boring holes into the helmets of the dealers, and the middle one just barely nodded his head, and lead his group out of the cantina. 

Kylo immediately relaxed beside her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. Kylo quickly finished the new drink the droid set on the table, and beckoned for more. Rey knew it was hard for Kylo to get drunk. It seemed his body burned off the alcohol very quickly, much like it did to the drugs he had taken in Lexus. He would have to drink copious amounts of strong liquor to feel a buzz and keep it. Rey was three drinks in, and the commlink had burned even hotter in her pocket. She glanced at Kylo who was rocked back in his chair, sharing laughs with Jacen. She glanced to the toilet room door. 

“I'm gonna go pee,” she interrupted them, trying to push the haze of drunkenness to front of her mind to hide her true intentions from Kylo.

“You're drunk,” the dark haired man said, rocking his chair back on all legs and sitting up straight, his face worried

She felt drunk, having pushed the haze further into her bond, even though she wasn't that bad. 

“I'm gonna go,” she said, standing as fast as she could without tipping over, using the back of chairs and the wall as support as she made her way to the toilets. 

Rey could feel Kylo’s eyes burning into her until she made it past the door. What was she here for? She felt the commlink in her pocket, and was reminded of the ex stormtrooper back on the Resistance base. Her heart called out for him, her first true friend. She pulled the comm out, and fiddled with it, before dialing Finn. She didn't know what time it was on Q’Dar, or whichever planet Finn was on, but he answered almost instantly. Rey was stung with the amount of fear, tiredness, and distraught in his voice. 

“Rey, my Rey, where are you?” Finn cried into the comm.

“I..” Rey knew he couldn't tell her where she was. Kylo and Jacen would kill Finn and every Resistance fighter that came with him. 

“I'm fine Finn, just a little tipsy. How is everything, how are you?”

“I'm not going to talk about me. You're drunk? Where are you drinking why are you drinking? Did that monster hurt you?” Finn’s voice reached a lower tenor when he mentioned Kylo, the monster behind the mask. 

“No, no, nobody has hurt me. A little earlier though we were poisoned. These Mandalorian Death Dealers always seem to be around, and they're a little suspicious. They're around every corner in Coco-Town,” Rey started rambling, when she caught what she had just said. 

“Rey. What Death Dealers?  _ The _ Death Dealers? Wait. Coco-Town? Rey, are you on Coruscant?”

“No, no, we uh. We just touched down for a little bit on our way to.. on our way..” Rey panicked, unsure what to say. He wouldn't believe her of she flat out said where they weren't actually heading, and the drunken feeling has grown much more prominent. 

“We already left, we're headed to another system. The Knights don't stay in one place for too long-” the commlink was ripped out of her hands. 

Rey didn't have to turn to know who had taken it, and her heart sank when she heard it being crushed in a large hand. She swallowed the lump in her throat, or tried to. She could feel the heat of anger rolling off of Kylo, could smell his rage. A tear leaked down the corner of her eye. She had done it. Kylo would never forgive her after this. 

She slowly turned, but didn't look up into Kylo’s face. She had disobeyed an order of one call, as an apprentice, and had lied to him about her intentions, as a lover. No matter how spoiled she was, she wasn't getting out of this. 

Strong hands grabbed her jaw and tilted her face upwards, and she reeled back in surprise. Kylo’s eyes were ringed with yellow fire, and his teeth were bared in an animalistic snarl. 

“What have you done?!” he yelled at her, dark tendrils wrapping around her torso, squeezing. She had never seen him so angry, and she had never been more terrified. Rey couldn't control the tears that were running down her face, or the sobs. 

“I didn't mean to, I didn't know. I just got carried away, I was so excited, please, Ben, I'm so sorry!” she pleaded, closing her eyes and tipping her head away. 

The grip on her became much softer, and calloused thumbs wiped away the tears on her face. She was being pulled out of the small room, and back into the cantina. Jacen was already waiting at the door. 

“I'll figure it out,” Kylo said as he yanked her behind him on the speeder, and kicked it to life. 

It was a short ride home, all Rey could concentrate on was breathing evenly, trying to hide her terror and self loathing. She was so angry at herself for telling Finn that she had been in Coco-Town. She thought maybe she had covered it up well, that maybe he believed the Knights were on the move. Her gut twisted once the bikes pulled up to the flat, unsure of what was to come next. 

.

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.

 

Kylo swung his leg over the bike, and grabbed Rey by her collar, dragging her with him. He had been so angry in the little cantina that he could feel it, true darkness. He had seen his eyes in the mirror in front of Rey. It terrified him, that he terrified her so much, but it was at it should be. She was more than his lover, she was his apprentice, and she needed to fear and respect him. He wanted so badly to punish her, teach her a lesson right here in the sitting room, but all he could think about was how badly he wanted her, needed her. 

The drunken haze that had clouded her mind earlier was gone, replaced by terror and self loathing. She knew that she had done wrong, directly disobeying his order as her master, and lying to him as her lover. She shuffled behind him as he nodded and farewell to Jacen and drug her to their shared room. He pulled the door shut with the force, and began pulling clothes off. He was down to just his underwear when he turned back to Rey and kissed her, hard. She crumbled in his hands, moaning against his mouth. 

“I'll kill him, if he comes here,” Kylo warned, pulling away from Rey. 

“Please, Ben, don't. He's too important to me, please don't hurt him,” Rey begged, tears welling up again. 

“Give me a good reason not to,” Kylo smirked, looking down at Rey. 

He saw fear flash in her eyes, and then felt her determination. Rey began pulling her clothes off her body, and Kylo stood back and watched. She quickly unbound her breasts and dropped her underwear, and shamelessly strut towards him. He crashed his mouth into hers and grabbed her ass with both hands, pulling her closer. A small hand was stroking his cock through his black underwear, and he pushed his hips farther into Rey's grip, purring against her mouth. Heat built deep in his core. He wanted her so badly, every part of her, but he was not yet ready to give her what she wanted. She was going to pay for alerting the Resistance to their location. 

Kylo pulled a hand away from Rey's ass and brought it back down, hard, a resounding slap echoing across the room, smothered by a Rey's cry. She hadn't been ready for it. He cupped her ass again, and could feel the heat of his handprint on her round cheek, and brought his hand down again. She cried out a second time, but kept stroking his now throbbing cock. He smacked her opposite ass cheek so that they were both red and hot. He worked his way to the bed, pulling Rey with him, until her legs hit the bed and she fell backwards on it. Kylo positioned her so her body was laying on the bed and her legs were dangling off. He wrapped her wrists in his hands, and pinned them on her hip bones before kneeling between her legs. Rey's legs were trembling as he bit the inside of her thighs. He nipped and sucked, and Rey squirmed beneath him. He could smell her, taste her, as he dived into her pink folds, lapping and sucking at her clit. Rey bucked her hips, trying to get more of the pressure. Kylo twirled his tongue around the little bundle of nerves, and then moved down, diving his tongue deep inside her, his nose pressed against her clit. Rey was coming undone, but he was not finished with her. Every time she was about to fall off the edge, he withdrew and began biting at her thighs again. 

Kylo doesn't know how long he kept on, but Rey had been begging for a while now, and he chose to ignore her. 

“You're not going to cum until I let you, scavenger,” he snarled at her, and he watched her back arch. 

“Please, Ben,” she begged, and Kylo stood up, working his underwear off. He had to release her hands to do so, and she had began rubbing herself, needing release. He growled and smacked her hands away, and he thrust into her with no warning, reaching out to cover her mouth to silence the cry. Rey's eyes were large, and her pupils were dilated with desire, as she bucked underneath him. Kylo moved his hand down her face and to her throat, and he squeezed, slowing the blood flow to her brain ever so slightly. He fucked her roughly, pulling out and plunging back in as fast as he could, wet, slapping sounds filling the room. He looked back down at Rey, and felt her release coming. He pulled out of her, and began stroking himself, waiting for her nerve endings to settle and the orgasm to deteriorate, before plunging back in. 

“Ben… Ben!” Rey yelled, clawing at his arms, wrapping her legs around his torso. 

“Say it, Rey. Say my name,” Kylo demanded. “I need you to know who's fucking you.”

“Ben..” she started, but Kylo slapped the back of her thigh, leaving a handprint. He felt her desire flare with the smack, but also the stinging pain. 

“Try again, Scavenger,” he ordered. 

“Kylo Ren,” Rey whispered, and she turned her head, a single tear leaking from her face. 

Kylo slowed suddenly, and released his hold on Rey. He bent and wrapped his arms around her, and moved her farther up the bed. He followed her, never fully pulling out, restarted slowly. He picked up a hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, and then ducked his head to kiss her neck. 

“Now?” he asked, pulling away to meet her eyes. 

“Ben. My Ben Solo,” Rey stammered, and Kylo let her cum with the words.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating recently, also sorry about the short chapter and terrible smut. No kink shaming here. I'm trying to post a chapter for every chapter I type, and I have about 6 chapters typed that aren't posted, so no more double chapter posting. Be prepared for feels and rapid plot increase. I'm awful at drawing people otherwise I would have added links to some drawings for a lot of these scenes. Those of you who are talented go right ahead. I'll update when I can, but two jobs and a whole lot of farm animals make it hard. Cheers!


	10. Chapter 10

Rey had been confined to the property for a week, as punishment for comming Finn. She was restless, but in those long days she had been able to repeat every saber form Kylo had taught her, and turn them into a staff form. Jacen was on babysitting duty, flicking tiny little pebbles at her as she moved slowly through the fourth form. Kylo was on First Order business for the day, doing stars know what, so he had left her and Jacen with explicit orders to not leave the property. Rey knew Jacen had a close eye on her, she was ready to make a break for it any chance she got with Kylo out of the house, but she wouldn't.  Her master was mad enough at her already, and her muscles still ached from the many exercises and drills he had put her through during the first couple days of her punishment. None of that compared to what he had done in the bedroom that first night. It was the only time Rey thought she might actually lose her mind and never recover. 

A sting of a pebble on her forehead brought her back to reality. 

“Check your footwork,” Jacen’s gruff voice rang. 

Rey lost her patience, and swiped a hand at Jacen, flinging loose gravel at high speeds towards him. He covered his face, and didn’t yelp when the pebbles collided with exposed skin. Rey watched his face, as it went from a calm, watchful demeanor, to an angry fed-up scowl. He growled and leaped to his feet, eyes darkening. Rey didn’t retreat, but stood her ground. She was not going to be scared off by one of her closest friends because he was hungover and and upset from being put on babysitting duty. Jacen marched over to her and shoved her shoulders. 

“Fifth form, scavenger,” he commanded, fists clenched at his sides. 

“What is wrong with you?” Rey asked, standing her ground.

Rey had never been afraid of Jacen, not even when she first saw him, practicing his forms with deadly precision, but now she was worried. His usual calm and patience was replaced by something more sinister. Jacen advanced quickly upon her, and Rey noticed a glare in his eye, something she’s never seen before, like a cloud  in his pupils. Jacen pushed her again, and she stumbled back, falling backwards, catching herself on her elbows. Jacen’s darksaber was in his hand, and it was raised over his head, a primal snarl on his face. Rey extended a hand out of instinct, and pushed Jacen away with the Force. He went soaring through the air, smashing into the wall of Kylo’s flat, and landed on the ground, his body limp. Rey stood up and watched in horror as Jacen raised himself off the ground and shook off the attack. His head snapped up towards her, and he charged. Rey prepared for the attack, but she wasn’t prepared for the sheer force behind it. It was then that she realized how much Jacen and Kylo had held back when they sparred. They were indeed attack dogs of the First Order, there was no way anyone but a trained fighter could stand up to them. Rey parried blow after blow, surprised by Jacen’s speed. If she had been using the lightsaber instead of the familiar staff, she would have lost multiple limbs by now. That was another reason Rey knew that Jacen was not himself. If he had sparred without a restrictor on his blade and had hurt her, Kylo would end his life, best friend or not. 

Rey pushed out with her mind, feeling for Jacen’s barriers. She had been practicing this skill for over a month now, and calmed herself, moving deeper into her trance. She felt her mind wrap around Jacen’s and watched as his eyes widened in realization. 

“Get out of my head, scavenger,” he spat, swiping his blade at her torso.

Rey pressed harder, breaking down his barriers slowly. They were crumbling in her advance, but after every layer she brought down, another was in it’s place. She silently cried out for Kylo, but was met by silence. Tears streaming down her face, she pushed harder than she had ever pushed before, dark tendrils coming from her mind, wrapping around Jacen’s. She felt the walls give way around Jacen, and she pushed harder still. 

_ The balance is what keeps me together. Serenity, yet emotion. Chaos, yet order. I am the guardian of balance,  _ Rey began the mantra, repeating it to herself. 

She knew the dark was taking over, it was the same feeling she had when she beat Kylo on Starkiller. She felt a new power rise within her, though, and silver hands reached out towards Jacen within her mind. The light and dark inside her fought viciously, each trying to take over, a never ending battle. She commanded him to yield. Jacen’s attacks suddenly slowed, and Rey moved to the offensive, pushing Jacen back. She deepened her trance, joining her mind with Jacen’s using his weaknesses. He had been attacked early on in his life, leaving his left shoulder weaker than the other, a secret he kept well hidden from his enemies. Rey moved all her attacks to his left side, barraging him with her double ended staff. Jacen’s eyes flickered, and she saw him come back, but then it quickly went away, and his eyes were once again clouded over. She felt another presence with them, something sinister and dark. 

Jacen’s moves once again became quick and vicious, but Rey was still on the offensive. She pushed harder with her mind, breaking down Jacen from the inside. He faltered one step, and she reached her hand out, and then made a fist, freezing Jacen where he stood. The force hummed all around her, a living, breathing being. 

_ Do it, _ a voice rang out.

It was not Kylo’s voice in her head, but something darker, older. 

_ You know you want to. He attacked you. He deserves it. End him, child, and you will find peace. _

Rey deactivated her staff and quickly started stacking mental barriers around her mind, fortifying it. She called out for Kylo, reaching through the bond. She could feel an invisible hand reaching through the force, and then darkness. 

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Kylo pushed his shuttle as fast as it would go as he entered Coruscant airspace. He had been in a meeting with the First Order Generals, but quickly excused himself when he felt Rey's side of the bond go dark. He called out to her, over and over. 

Kylo felt a prickle up his spine. It was a presence he knew. He looked over at his comm, a written message floating above the piece of welded steel. 

_ The scavenger is strong indeed. _

One sentence was all it took to make bile rise in Kylo’s throat, and cause black spots to go across his vision. 

Snoke had found her. His long, evil fingers had been wrapped around her while he was gone. And what of Jacen? Hadn't his brother been there to protect Rey? 

Kylo quickly came upon his flat, and put the shuttle into auto to land as he rushed to the ramp, jumping off the ship, meters before it even touched the ground. He raced to the first level, and felt for Rey's signature. She was next to Jacen, in the training yard, but there was something wrong. Kylo’s legs had never pumped faster than they did when he went to find Rey. He entered the training yard to Rey, unconscious on the ground, and Jacen, floating inches off the ground, frozen by the force. Kylo hit his knees as he reached Rey, skidding across the ground to scoop her into his arms. 

He pushed the sweat plastered hair off her face, and touched her temples gently, pulling her from her blackout. Rey woke with a start, and screamed, kicking her way out of Kylo’s grasp. Her staff went flying through the air and into her grasp, and she was immediately in a battle stance, ready for an attack that wasn’t coming. 

“Rey? Rey, sweetheart, it’s me,” Kylo whispered, standing slowly, hands out as unthreatening as he could manage.

Rey’s eyes cleared, like she was just realizing who had just been holding her, and she hit her knees, hands going to her face. Kylo was on the ground next to her again, pulling her hands away from her face, wiping her tears. He had never seen her so weak. Tears sometimes fell when she was angry, but these were real tears, real distraught, real fear.

“Show me, Rey. Let me help you,” Kylo asked her gently.

Rey nodded her head, and Kylo plunged easily into her memories. Rey had been practicing her forms when Jacen attacked her. Jacen? That’s when Kylo felt it. It was not Jacen that was attacking her, it was Snoke. The Supreme Leader had taken over the untrained mind of Jacen and used him to attack Rey, to test her, and there were many times when Kylo thought Jacen would cut her down, but Rey prevailed, using her battle meditation to defeat the Knight. Kylo hadn’t seen her use it with such speed and precision. Rey was indeed a warrior. He could feel her darkness, and it made his stomach twist, but then he felt her light taking over, fighting back the darkness, showing her the way. 

Kylo pulled back from her mind, out of breath. He wanted to cry. She was even more torn apart than he was, and she had nobody. All those years alone on the desert planet, waiting for nobody, crying herself to sleep over and over again. At least he had Chewie, or his mother, and even Luke in his younger years, and then Snoke, but she had no one to explain these feelings, no one to show her the way. Obviously Luke hadn’t known about her fight with the dark side, or he never would have began training her, let alone leave his sight.

“Let me help you,” Kylo begged, holding Rey closer to him. “Let me help you through this, I’m the only one who can.”

Rey shook her head, “I’m lost, Ben.”

“As long as I am here, you will never be lost, my starlight,” he promised, rocking her. 

“No matter what, please don’t ever leave me. I can’t do this without you,” she cried.

“I’ll follow you to the ends of the galaxy, Rey. No matter what happens, I’ll be there,” Kylo sold his soul, as he lifted her up. 

His brother was still in the air, dangling, grappling at his throat now, eyes wide in terror.

_ Let him go _ , Kylo spoke across to Rey.  _ Clear your mind, and release him. He will not hurt you. _

Rey inhaled, and then exhaled slowly, and Jacen crumpled onto the ground, gasping for breath, clutching his ribs. Kylo kicked him.

“Get up, Jacen Ren. Rise and look at me, your First Knight,” Kylo commanded cooly. 

Jacen obeyed, despite the obvious pain, and straightened his back, looking up at Kylo’s eyes. Kylo reached his hand out, and wrapped it around Jacen’s neck.

“You are weak, knight, and your weakness will cost you dearly.”

“Lord Ren, I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t control myself. I wasn’t seeing through my eyes, I was somewhere else. I swear to you, I'd never hurt Lady Rey. One moment I was watching her forms, and the next, I was somewhere else,” Jacen tried explaining, panic in his eyes. 

Kylo knew he was speaking the truth, but someone had to pay the price for Rey's pain.

_ Snoke _ , Kylo thought to himself. All of this was because of the Sith Lord who hid across the galaxy. He hurt Rey, he took over his brother's mind. 

“No, Ben, you will never win. He's too strong, I can't lose you,” Rey pleaded, knowing exactly what thought had crossed Kylo Ren’s mind. 

“I love you too much, to ever leave you, Rey. I would tear apart the galaxy, just to stay by your side.”

“I know, Benny,” she said, cupping a hand behind his head, leaning her forehead against his. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of long distance Snoke fucking everything up. Sorry. I just felt that he hadn't been brought up in a while. Also sorry for the super short chapter, it was getting dense.


	11. Chapter 11

Rey leaned on the table, rolling her head around, loosening the muscles in her neck. 

“Is it at all possible for me to leave the kriffing house?” she asked, looking coldly at Kylo. 

“I guess that depends. Are you going to get drunk and call the Resistance?” Kylo snapped back. 

“If it means that I can leave, yes,” Rey scowled at him. They'd been having this conversation since he got back from his Order business, cut short by Snoke’s rude appearance. 

“Well?” she prodded. 

“Yes. Yes you can leave. But we have to do something first. I think it's time you made your own saber, Rey.” Kylo looked through his hair at her. 

Rey took a step back, shocked.

“I'm not going to go make a red saber to please you,” she said quietly. 

Kylo sighed, and she felt his amusement. 

“What's so funny?” 

“That old fool has taught you nothing, has he? You don't choose your color Rey, it chooses you. My kyber crystal called out to me, more than a decade ago, broken and volatile.”

“I have a crystal. I got it before you found me on Lothal. I.. I had it when you took me to the Finalizer,” Rey looked up at Kylo. 

Rey watched a Kylo went down the hallway, and she heard his door open. The loud thuds of his footsteps were heard on the way back out, and Rey straightened, brimming with curiosity. Kylo turned into the kitchen with a small chest in his hands. It was black, and had runes inscribed on it, but what stuck out the most was the blue veins on it, as if the chest was alive. Kylo pushed his fingers on the side of the box, and the lid popped open. He reached his hand in, and pulled out the small bag that Rey had put the crystals in so long ago on Lothal. 

“But, I couldn't feel them? They called to me in the cave, and after I couldn't feel them,” Rey tried explaining. 

“I know,” Kylo said, “I took them from you and put them here. I sent the chest back to Coruscant on your second day on the Finalizer. The chest hides force signatures,  even the most powerful ones. That's why you couldn't feel them anymore.”

Rey looked from Kylo to the bag in her hands and back again. She reached on her toes and kissed his jaw. 

“Thank you. Thank you so much for keeping them safe.”

Rey took her bag and her electrostaff and went to a far corner of Kylo’s flat. She heard his heavy footsteps follow behind her, and the warmth of his embrace when she stopped. 

“I'll be right here if you need anything, Love.”

He then backed away, and left Rey to her own devices. 

.

.

.

“Can you keep the jacket on?”

Poe’s plea was hot in his ear, as Finn pulled the jacket back across his shoulders. 

“Anything for you,” he whispered back to the dark haired man in his bunk, laying kisses down the side of his neck. 

Poe began unbuckling the front of Finn’s pants, pinned between Finn’s muscular thighs as the ex stormtrooper straddled the pilot. Finn’s mind was elsewhere though, on a planet far from their location. A planet where his best friend was being held by the dark prince himself. A shudder ran down Finn’s spine at the thought of what Kylo Ren could be doing to Rey. All movement stopped underneath him. 

“You're not okay, are you, babe?” Poe asked, worry filling his face. 

“I need to talk to General Organa again,” Finn said, combing his fingers through Poe’s long hair. 

He was suddenly being shoved off his lover, landing heavily on the floor. Poe was pulling his shirt back on, and lacing his boots. 

“Let's go then.”

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Kylo heard movement from Rey's little corner of the hallway. He lifted his eyes to watch her emerge. She smiled broadly at him, eyes sparkling.

“Do you want to see?” she asked him, saber in hand.

He nodded quickly, smiling back. Rey thumbed the ignition and the two ends ignited, one in green, the other an almost golden yellow. He was surprised, as only jedi temple guards carried yellow double bladed weapons. Kylo couldn’t help but feel disappointed that one of the ends wasn’t red, but he knew all along that they wouldn’t be. Rey’s  emotions changed rapidly, and he felt her heavy heart. Was something wrong?

“Three crystals called to me. I used two, but as soon as I was about to use it, the calling stopped. It just feels like a normal old rock now,” Rey explained, holding out a violet crystal. The light reflected off of it and onto the walls, a dark purple hue. There was a large crack down the stone, splitting it almost in two. 

“This crystal called out to you?” Kylo asked, skeptical of the Force’s plan in giving Rey a cracked crystal. Kylo reached out for it, and took it from Rey's hand. 

Kylo’s heart stopped. Rey was gone. No, she wasn't gone, he could still feel her presence beside him. He wasn't in his pad anymore, he was on a planet of blue and green. Lush plant life and water everywhere. He was on Tokadona. The forest in front of him called to him, drawing him closer, and then with no warning, it went up in flames. Kylo saw himself, emerging from the flames, a violet saber in his hand, the other holding a bundle of.. clothes? Vision Kylo was looking down at the bundle, smiling, eyes glinting with joy and admiration, while tears streaked down his face. The closer he got, the more realization hit Kylo. His vision self wasn't holding a bundle of clothes. He was holding an infant. 

Kylo’s vision returned, and he was back in the living room, holding Rey's crystal, her eyes wide with shock. The crystal sung his name, calling out for him more than his red one ever did. It almost hurt how much it called to him. 

“What happened? Your eyes, they were looking through me, like I wasn't here. You weren't listening.”

“I think I just had a vision. The crystal, it calls for me..”

.

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.

"General,” Finn bowed his head.

“Finn,” Leia greeted him, as she reached out and pulled him into a warm embrace. 

“I know why you're here, my boy, and I fully support this mission. We need her back.”

Finn couldn't hide his smile with the thought of rescuing his best friend. Rey needed to be saved and he would be the one to do it. Well, him and Poe, of course. BB-8 ran into his leg and beeped at him. 

“Of course you're coming, buddy. Who else is going to keep us out of trouble?” Poe answered. 

Finn rolled his eyes. BB-8 was the entire reason any of them knew each other, and the only reason he and Rey bumped into each other in the first place. Finn listened as General Leia gave her orders, and told them exactly what needed to happen to get Rey away from the First Order. It was meticulous, but it had to work. It was their only hope.

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Rey heard a chirping from inside the drawer she keeps her clothes in. Kylo was in the bed next to her, his arm tucked under her head. Rey was confused at first until she remembered the comm link that she stashed there. She got messages from Finn and Poe often, and she listened to every one of them. Rey waited for the comm to finish, so they could record their message, but it never stopped. 

“ _ Kriffing  _ answer it, Rey,” Kylo growled, grumpy at the disturbance of his sleep.

Rey quickly rolled out of bed and flung the drawer open. It had been three weeks since her drunken call to Finn, and she missed him. 

“Finn?” she answered.

_ Hey beautiful, how's my little Jedi? _

Rey smiled at Finn’s words. 

“I'm just fine. How's my best guy?”

_ I'm doing okay. Been put on some pretty boring missions, out lying planet type of stuff. How have they been treating you? I'm surprised you answered. What time is it? _

Rey glanced at Kylo’s form in the bed, and the clock behind his head.

“It's late. Don't know the time,” she lied. 

_ Hmm,  _ was all she got out of Finn. 

“So how are Poe and BB-8?” she asked.

_ Poe is just fine, he got put on the same missions as me. And BB-8 is well. Round. And orange and white. _

“You still don't understand him, do you?” Rey laughed.

_ I'm sorry that you have some sort of force powered language understanding. I just hear beeps.  _

Rey laughed with Finn, imagining him trying to have a conversation with the BB unit. Kylo growled from where he lay on the bed, letting Rey know time was almost up. 

“I'm going to have to go, Finn,” Rey sighed. 

_ That's okay. I have all I need _ , Finn said back. 

“Oh. Okay, goodbye.. I guess,” Rey stammered, hurt that he didn't want to talk longer.

The comm went quiet. Rey stashed it back in her drawer and climbed into bed with Kylo, wet tears leaking down her face. As soon as her head hit his chest, his Holopad buzzed, and he lifted the bright pad in front of their faces. A single message popped up. 

_ The deathtroopers are ready.  _

  
“Looks like we're going on a trip,” Kylo whispered before setting the holopad down and kissing away Rey’s tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter and a long gap, I'm sorry. I'm having a tough time bringing the plot together in the chapters I've been working on. This one has been typed for about a month, I just didn't edit it until tonight. It was a hasty edit, so I'm sorry but heeeeeeeeeeeyyyy, new stuff is happening. Also, STORMPILOT. I love my little space cinnamon rolls.


	12. Chapter 12

Kylo piloted the shuttle to their destination the next morning. He didn't tell her where they were going, just that it was a surprise. 

“What are deathtroopers?” Rey asked, looking over at Kylo from the copilot chair. 

“You'll see. They're quite similar to my grandfather’s own Deathtroopers,” was all he said. 

“You're being very vague,” Rey pouted, rolling her eyes at the mention of Darth Vader. 

Kylo smiled beside her and she sunk into the seat, arms crossed. 

The drop out of light speed was sudden, and Rey was facing a planet of blue. 

There was no way Kylo knew that Luke had been staying on Ach-to, she had kept that locked away. Rey looked. Closer at the planet before she realized there was no way that it was Ach-to. There weren't any visible islands from outside atmo. Kylo quickly descended through the cloud layers and Rey was face to face with a planet of blue. 

“Welcome to Kamino,” Kylo said, looking over at her, and then down at his comm. He smiled even bigger. 

“What?” she asked. 

“Snoke in going deeper into the unknown regions. He's growing weaker,” Kylo smiled 

Rey smiled at the thought of Snoke going further away. It lessened the possibility of her having to meet him in person anytime soon. As happy as she was about Snoke, she was even more curious about the planet. She had never even heard of a planet called Kamino. She had never seen so much water. The waves were calm, for now. She had been on Luke's hideaway planet long enough to know that the ocean was it's own beast, and that at any second, it could change. They flew low over the water until they reached a large base, held up on reinforced durasteel stilts, hundreds of yards off the water. Kylo easily landed the ship. Before he lowered the ramp, he lifted Rey's hood over her head, and pulled her cowl over over her face. 

Rey stepped off the ramp, and was immediately hit with wet, cold wind. The droplets stung what little part of her face was covered. Kylo grabbed her hand and hurried her through the doors, which automatically opened when they got close. Rey went to remove her hood and cowl, but Kylo shook his head. He led her through the halls, knowing exactly where they were going. Rey looked around the white and blue walls, her curiosity peaked. She almost yelped when Kylo stopped suddenly, and she bumped into his back. She looked in front of him, and saw a sight that made her shiver. There was a tall being in front of them, with a long neck and black, rounded eyes, but when it spoke, Rey was entranced.

“Hello, young knight. I am pleased that you received my message and were able to arrive so quickly,” she spoke. Her voice was enchanting, and she spoke slowly. Rey knew she was a very intelligent being, this Kaminoan. 

“Nala Se,  I am glad to have gotten the message so quickly. I was expecting it to take a while longer,” Kylo addressed her. 

Nala Se blinked once before leading them on. 

“They are quite advanced in their training. There is nothing more that we can teach them here on Kamino. They have in the simulation hours, and they passed with flying colors, more so than their previous counterparts. And I'd like to say, the modifications you made are.. more than adequate.”

“Thank you,” Kylo bowed his head. 

They came upon a viewing area, a balcony looking over a space. Rey stepped up to Kylo’s side and gasped. There were men fighting below them. Not just regular men, but very large, tall, well muscled men. They wore the same blue outfits, stretching against their bulky mass underneath as each man moved and twisted. They were all identical in appearance, except haircuts, and fought with power and control. No, they weren't fighting, they were sparring. She looked up at Kylo who was smiling down at her. 

“These are your deathtroopers?” she asked as Nala Se led them onto a turbolift, and they quickly descended. Kylo looked down smiling at her. 

“No, Rey,” his eyes sparkled. “These are  _ your _ deathtroopers.”

Rey looked over at the men, who had all taken a knee. She pulled her hood off, and lowered her cowl. 

“M..mine?” she stuttered, looking from them to Kylo. 

“Yes. They are under both our commands, but they answer officially to you. They're programmed to do as you say,” 

He grabbed her wrist and lifted it, so that Rey could see the bracelet he had given her. 

“Inside this pendant is a tracker. It's untraceable with any other technology besides the Kaminoans. There is a print reader on the back side. If for some reason I'm ever not around, and you need help, press your thumb to the flat side of it, and your troopers will come. They have a chip in them already connected to this bracelet to know your location, wherever in the galaxy you are. These are your men to command, Rey. This is my gift to you,” Kylo said, before he kissed the back of her hand. 

Before Rey, stood more than thirty men, an entire squadron and then some. She walked up to the nearest one, and gently pulled his face up to look at her. 

“Why do they all look alike? Why are they so big?”

“They're clones. Based off the original template of the clones from my grandfather's time. They're big because they are genetically enhanced. I needed bigger, faster, stronger, smarter. They needed be able to outmatch any other force in the galaxy,” Kylo informed her. 

“Where will they stay?” she asked skeptically. 

“They have barracks already set up by homebase. Only a few at a time will accompany you when I'm not around. The rest are for military actions. TG-9817,” Kylo called. 

The very front trooper stepped up. 

“They have numbers?” Rey looked at Kylo. 

“Why not names?”

“Name them what you wish. They were not born Rey, they were created. They think and feel like us, but the aren't us.”

“Of course they are! Look at them. They are just like us!”

Kylo rolled his eyes and looked at her trooper. “He's squadron leader. He's one step under you in command. He's your Jacen basically. He will accompany you, as well as two others of your choosing.”

Rey stomped over to the man, upset at Kylo’s claim. 

“What do they call you?” she asked the trooper, having to look up at him. He was right at Kylo’s height, and much heavier. 

“I am TG-9817, m’lady.” 

“No, not what Kylo and the Kaminoans call you. What do your brothers call you?” 

“They call me Trig, m’lady.”

“Good. Trig it is,” she said looking over to Kylo. 

“How old are they?” she asked him. 

“Technically they've been living breathing organisms for nine years. But their bodies are fully matured. The Kaminoans sped up their growing process so I didn't have to wait 20 something years for them to be ready,” Kylo explained. 

“Commence sequence 384,” Nala Se spoke, and the lights in the room dimmed. Trig jogged over to the back of the room and upholstered the blaster on his thigh. A room wide simulation started with hologram versions of Kylo and herself, using force powers.

It began and blaster bolts began racing from one side of the room to the other. The troopers were shooting at bots that were scattered throughout the room. The simulation Kylo and Rey fought beside them, using force powers and their sabers. Three bots surrounded the hologram Kylo and two troopers quickly dispatched the bots. 

“Them,” Rey pointed to the two troopers. “I want them.”

Nala Se waved her hand and the simulation ended. 

“DK-2113 and KR-5100,” Kylo called. 

The two troopers that Rey had pointed out stepped up and took a knee. It gave Rey a giddy feeling knowing that they were at her command. Or was it Kylo who felt it?

“What are you called?” she asked them. 

“I am Daks,” the first one spoke, “and I am Zero,” said the second. 

“Perfect. You'll be accompanying Trig,” she smiled at them. They glanced at each other before smiling back at Rey. 

 

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“You have your first order, Lady Rey,” Jacen said, handing Rey a holopad. She pressed the button, and a message sounded. 

“There is a small Resistance movement on Tattooine. Eradicate it, and report.”

Rey looked up at Kylo who shrugged his shoulders. 

“Knights get missions, Rey,” he told her. 

“I thought you assigned missions?” she asked. 

“That I do, but sometimes we get sent missions from Snoke or higher ups in the Order who got them from Snoke, or we get automatically assigned missions that troopers just can't handle,” Kylo tried explaining. 

“I refuse,” Rey pushed the holopad away. “I will not kill any Resistance fighters.”

Kylo glanced over at Jacen. 

“I'll come with you. Leave it to me and your troopers. You just need to pitch in a bit. Destroy some things. You wanted to come here, to train as a Knight, this is how it happens. The Resistance is an enemy, and we fight enemies. Every apprentice gets sent on missions,” Kylo told her, reaching out to rub her shoulder. 

Rey crossed her arms and huffed. 

“Fine,” she complied. 

“Perfect. We leave in an hour.”

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.

The flight to the Finalizer to retrieve Kylo’s shuttle was agonizingly slow for Rey. She tapped her foot or paced the entire ride. She basically leapt from the ramp as they pulled into the docking bay. She got to Kylo’s black shuttle before he or her troopers did, excited to look at the interior. She hadn't been conscious the two times she's been inside, and she was anxious to finally see it. The ramp slowly opened to reveal a well lit interior, and two pilots in black flight suit. A line of six deathtroopers including Trig, Zero, and Daks came filing out of Kylo’s personal shuttle and lined up on either side. They were wearing black stormtrooper-like armor, just much more heavy duty. Their helmets had reflected visors and they each had multiple weapons strapped to their armor in varying places. Kylo went striding up to her, and guided her inside, the troopers following. Kylo was wearing what he wore the first time she saw him, black robes, cowl, and his chrome mask. She was in gear that she could fight in, and her ever present black cloak, the hood over her head to hide her face. She looked around the shuttle, and was disappointed. It was utterly plain. She knew there was no way she'd get to pilot it, so she flopped down on the one bench in the entire shuttle and crossed her arms. The troopers held onto handles on the ceiling, and Kylo stood in front of her, clenching and unclenching his fists, his leather gloves squeaking. She wished so badly to reach out and hold his hand, but knew better. 

Kylo flashed her a little picture of him holding her hand at night, playing with her hair, and she smiled. She could feel his smile under his mask.

They landed smoothly and Kylo let Rey out first. They were at a small outpost. Kylo needed information on what to expect at the Resistance’s location. 

Rey watched as villagers were filing along, carrying their belonging. Stormtroopers were already stationed here, and they were handing out canteens of water and blankets to anyone that came up for them. 

_ Who are they?  _ She asked Kylo. 

_ Villagers that the Resistance kicked out. It's either join or leave. Most people leave.  _

_ That's awful. How could they just kick them out of their homes like that? _

_ I don't know, love. I guess they need the space.  _

Rey felt Kylo make his way back to the shuttle from his informant, and they all filed back into the small space. The shuttle took off again, making its way to the final destination. 

_ Stormtroopers landed first, we're here for support _ , he told her. 

Kylo pushed relaxing waves over to Rey, and her nerves began to settle, but the picked right back up as she felt the shuttle start it's decent. There was turbulence on the way down, and a rough landing, but the ship and everyone on it went unscathed. 

She could hear blaster fire outside the shuttle, and stood, ready to fight. Her staff was in her hand, deactivated, and she saw the flash of Kylo’s saber on his belt. The ramp lowered, releasing steam into the desert night air. Rey followed Kylo out into the battle, as he deflected a blaster shot with the force. There were old Republic Era buildings covered in layers of sand, some cut out of the side of a small butte, surrounding them, reminding her of the half buried Imperial star destroyers in the ship graveyard on Jakku. 

_ We need to locate commanding officers and bring them in for questioning _ , Kylo told her, making his way through the blaster fire. 

Rey deflected a shot aimed for her and flung it into a large rock. Her heart began beating faster. Everything was so overwhelming. She began to breath deeply, and began her Battle Meditation to clear her mind and focus. She sought out the commanding officers with the force, their presence slightly stronger than the others. She pointed towards a large bunker carved in the side of the butte.

_ There _ , she showed Kylo. He nodded and they started towards the bunker. 

Her troopers flanked the pair as they made their way to the bunker. Kylo stepped aside to allow Rey to rip the door from its hinges. She could feel the faint crackling of electricity in Kylo’s palm, not quite lightning, but still there. Rey led them through the halls until they came upon a door, which Kylo cut through with his saber. He was about to step through when Rey grabbed his arm and yanked him back. 

“Wait,” she commanded. “Something isn't right.” 

That's when they heard it, the unmistakable  _ tick tick tick. _ Kylo flung himself around Rey, completely engulfing her in his arms as a blue explosion sent the entire group flying backwards. Kylo took most of the blast, and Rey landed on him, curled in his arms. He released her, and pulled in ragged breaths. He pulled his mask off, and began coughing, and pulled his hand away to reveal dark fluid. His teeth were stained red from the blood from his lungs. His breathing quickly became more ragged. Rey could feel the sharp pain in her side and the heavy weight on her chest. 

“Let me heal you Ben,” Rey demanded, holding her hand into his abdomen. He winced at her touch. Rey pulled from the force, allowing rhetoric healing energy to flow through her and into Kylo. His breathing became easier and easier until he was well enough to finish the mission. The pain in her side went away, and the weight on her chest lifted.

“Thank you,” he said, taking her hand a kissing it. 

Rey looked around the group. All of her troopers were on their feet, ready to go. 

_ You need armor like that _ , she teased Kylo and he scoffed, pulling on his mask. 

“Let's find these officers, shall we?” he growled through his ventilator. 

“As you wish.”

The group made it back outside the bunker, and Rey felt out with the force, searching for the commanding signatures she felt earlier but she could not find them. 

“Gone,” she told Kylo, and she looked around at the madness around her. 

The Resistance had fled, leaving behind little. She could see the homes of the refugees burning, though they had not brought flame troopers. 

_ To make sure we don't use this place as a base of our own _ , Kylo informed her. 

The Resistance had burned the villagers’ homes. She had flashbacks of Jakku, of how hard it was to find a place to live in the harsh desert. Rey could not fight the rage welling inside of her, and she let it go, ripping down the bunker that they were previously in. Kylo turned to her, wide eyed, at how easily she had destroyed the building. But Rey was smiling. It felt good to release her anger. She saw the satellite dishes and antenna left over from the rival group, and began destroying them, until not even scavengers could get something off of them. 

Kylo just sat back and watched her, as the troopers cleared the rest of the impromptu base. When Rey had finally destroyed every last evidence that the Resistance and had come here, he touched her shoulder and nodded towards the shuttle. Their job was done. Incomplete, but done. 

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Rey giggled with childish glee as she pushed the speeder faster. Kylo raced beside her, weaving in and out of traffic. Jacen was on a mission, leading a task force of Stormtroopers to subdue a wanted First Order criminal. Jacen being gone meant that Rey had free rein over his speeder. Kylo enjoyed watching Rey have fun. So the joy in her face lit his heart up, and he wouldn't mind seeing it every second of every day. They slowed as they reached the Lexus. The Mandalorians had seemed to clear out, and Rey preferred the upbeat busy club to the quieter little pubs. She said she was tired of quiet. 

Rey parked her speeder, and Kylo pulled his up beside her. He kicked his leg over as she was letting her dark hair fall down around her back and shoulders. She was wearing his cloak, as always, with her saber staff across her back, and a red crop top and tight black pants underneath. She always knew to dress to impress at Lexus, despite the fact that he didn't care what she was wearing. Kylo was continuously impressed by her. The bouncer let them through the door, and the familiar moans and protests of the people in line behind them made Kylo smile. Kylo nodded towards his empty booth, and watched Rey push through the crowd, as he leaned over the bar to order drinks. He got Rey's favorite, the purple Corellian rum, and made his way over to his booth. He felt a warning through the force, and Kylo frantically looked for Rey, to find her sitting in his booth, perfectly safe, alone. He kept his head low as he made his way towards her. 

“I felt it too,” she said as his slid in next to her. Kylo kept his back on the wall as the music thumped around them. He put Rey's glass in her hand, and clinked his glass against hers. She grinned up at him before chugging her glass. Kylo widened his eyes in surprise. 

“What did you come here to forget?” he teased. 

Rey elbowed him before signaling a service bot over. She slid around the round corner to the spot opposite of Kylo to tell the bot what she wanted, before sliding back over to him. Kylo finished his drink by the time Rey's second arrived. Her glass contained a clear liquid, and Kylo raised his eyebrows questioning Rey's choice. He laughed as she shared the taste with him. She had ordered a glass of water.  Kylo nestled his face into Rey's hair and kissed her jaw under her ear, when he had the sudden urge to pee. He groaned inwardly. No one was here to watch Rey. He had dismissed Trig and his comrades, planning on not taking his eyes off of Rey. 

“I'm not going into the bathroom with you!” Rey elbowed him in the ribs, knowing his exact thoughts. 

“I'll be fine. I have my saber,” Rey assured him. 

He took a sideways glance at her before pushing away from the table and making his way to the line for the restroom. It moved quickly enough, and he kept his eyes on Rey until he could see her no more. He went to the first available stall and peed faster than he had ever done so in his life. He made his way to the sink, as he got a bad feeling in the force. He turned around in time to deflect a dark saber with the force. The wielder was Mandalorian, in his death dealers colors. Two more surrounded Kylo and he chuckled. 

“Go home,” he warned them, as they circled around. 

The smallest ran at him, and electric blade flashing in the air. Kylo easily defended himself against the Mandalorian with the force, not wanting to take out his very recognizable saber. 

_ Eyes up _ , he warned Rey and he got her worry as confirmation. 

_ Kylo, they're here _ , she warned through the force, and then she went silent. 

The three Mandalorians charged him all at once, and he sent a shockwave through the air, knocking them all to the floor. He stepped over one and made his way to the door. He quickly shoved his way through the crowd, searching for Rey, when he felt it. Her absence. It was very sudden, and it sucked the breath from his chest. He ran at the table where he left her to find it empty. He pushed out his signature looking for hers, and all he got was silence, and oh, how it hurt. He fell to his knees, trembling. 

“ _ Rey!”  _ he screamed out in agony, silencing the entire club. Every person was watching him. He turned around as the Mandalorians approached from the restroom. 

“Missing something?” the leader mocked, and Kylo pulled him closer by his throat, mere inches from his face, toes barely touching the ground. 

“Where is she?!” Kylo bellowed.

  
“The Resistance paid us as a distraction. Ask them. We only did what we were paid to do,” the dealer spoke through his helmet. Kylo flung him against the far wall and heard the sickening snap of bones. The club scattered, everybody panicking. Kylo could feel the rage welling up inside him. She didn't want to go. He felt her panic, heard her surprise. She did not go willingly with the Resistance. Kylo began to slowly feel the effect for the drug they gave her. His head began to spin. His movements became slow and labored, and his eyes could stay open no longer. Kylo was left in darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firsr off, You guys are all troopers for my awful world building skills and quick plots. I don't have anybody to help edit or build anything, so this is me working things out. The next chapters are going to come really slowly, I'm working through a lot of plot holes and trying to get super in depth with what's about to happen. Writer fuel would be awesome, keep those kudos and comments coming.
> 
> Second, I really liked the idea of the deathtroopers, I originally called them darktroopers, but I went back through some EU and the darktroopers were real, but mechanically enhanced like cyborgs, and I really wanted more human companions for Rey.  
> Third, we're getting into the heavy heart-wrenching shit, and it only gets worse from here. I promised plot didn't I? Let the fuckening begin.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm really sorry for this chapter, it's a put together of about four small chapters, so now I'm super behind, and I know the chapter is awful, so I apologize. Again. I promised the fuckening, and so it has began. Muhahahahaha. Grab a nice cuppa joe, it's a long one. TO THE CHAPTA

Rey brought in a deep breath, unsure of how long she had been holding it. Her lungs burned, her throat burned.

“She's waking up,” Rey heard a familiar voice, a woman's voice.

Rey forced her eyelids open, slowly at first, despite what felt like a million worlds holding them closed. The light burned, but her eyes quickly adjusted. She was in a white room, and she was laying down, and her… her hands were tied down? Her feet were also tethered to the bed. Her heart started beating faster, and that's when it hit her, the silence. Kylo’s end of the bond was silent. She knew he was out there somewhere, but she couldn't reach him. It was like being one channel away from the one she was trying to listen to. It was there, but the connection wasn't clear.

_ Ben _ ! She screamed out across the bond, but was met by silence, a silence that burned, like the heat of a thousand suns licking her skin. Air rushed from Rey's lungs and she had to remember to breathe. She tried breaking the cuffs that held her in place with the Force, but she couldn't find it inside of her. She couldn't use the force.

She screamed aloud, until her lungs felt like they wear tearing from inside her.

“Rey, you need a calm down. You're safe,” she heard it again, the voice. It took her a few moments to recognize who exactly it was. Leia Organa Solo. Rey squeezed her eyes shut.

“Where am I?” she asked, not able to see anyone from her flat position.

“Safe,” was all she got in return.

Realization struck Rey and she felt bile in her throat. They had taken her from her home, from  _ him. _

“No, no one is safe, you have to leave,” she pleaded.

“He's coming. He's going to come. He'll find me,” she began to cry.

“Who? Who Rey, who's coming?” Leia appeared in Rey's line of sight. Rey felt a burn as Leia must've plunged a needle into her skin, and then darkness fell over her once again.

“Kylo. Kylo Ren.”

 

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Kylo awoke, to find darkness. He still couldn't hear Rey through the connection, and his head was pounding, he leaned forward to get up, but he couldn't. He looked down at his hands, and they were cuffed together, blue lacing around them. He pushed to break them, but couldn't. He reached out with the Force, but couldn't find the connection. He knew this feeling. He had once been drugged by Snoke as a test of his abilities without his powers. Kylo closed his eyes, and began his meditation that he practiced with Rey. He knew the force hadn't left him. It was always there, in everyone and everything. The drug just muddled the connection. The mind just had to rewire a couple connections. Kylo fell deep inside himself where only he and Rey have been, and fought for the connection. Once he saw it, a little flicker of light, he chased it down, until he could reach out with his mind’s eye and touch it. When he did finally reached it, he was pulled back into the present, and slammed back in the chair he was sitting in.

He looked around the room, trying to see any distinguishing marks. He laughed to himself when he saw it, the red Mandalorian skull. They had no idea what they had gotten themselves into. A door opened, flooding the room with light, and a tall man stepped through.

“Funny, how a young man like you, carries a saber so identical to the infamous Kylo Ren,” the man sneered from the shadows.

“Funny, how you have no idea to whom you're speaking,” Kylo laughed, standing taller.

The man laughed back. “We know you can use the force, big deal. Those cuffs sever all connections with the Force, you cannot break them. A gift from our forefathers I would say, if the Jedi ever decided to turn against the galaxy.”

“I am no Jedi,” Kylo warned, smiling wickedly at the man.

“My point exactly,” the man said, sneering, as he pressed a button and released Kylo from the chair.

The Mandalorian pulled Kylo to his feet and led him out the door and into the light.

“The Resistance General was interested in the man that accompanied her target everywhere, so we're here to deliver,” the dealer said, guiding Kylo onto a shuttle.

Kylo complied, not ready to let these men see his true form yet. Not ready to let them know who they were dealing with. The cuffs tingled on his wrists, and he gently pulled against him, a solid force.

The shuttle entered light speed easily, and it was a very short flight to where they were going. Then Kylo felt it, a presence he hadn't felt in a long time. His mother's. His mother was in charge of taking Rey from him. She would pay.

 

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When Rey awoke the second time, it was Finn next to her, not General Leia. He looked over her, a worried scowl on his face.

Rey was allowed to sit up, after she had promised Finn she wouldn't fight. The white room was crushing her, without the presence of Kylo. The small little room in the back of her head where he should have been residing was quiet, not empty, just silent.

“Why am I chained, Finn? Why can't I use the Force?” she finally asked.

“The council doesn't trust you. They think the First Order has changed you, after you led the attack on the Resistance base. We have video, of you, coming from the bunker, with… him. And then. Then you destroyed it Rey. You destroyed everything,” he said, looking away.

“Finn, I need you to listen to me. He's coming, I know he is. He is going to kill everyone,” Rey warned, and then she felt it. Beautiful, undeniable rage, and it didn't belong to her. Rey knew what she had to do, tears streaming down her face. She never meant to hurt Finn or manipulate him in any way, but this was for him.

“You will untie my hands and leave the room,” she demanded, eyes watching Finn closely.

Finn’s eyes widened in realization of what she was doing.

“You can't do that to me. Not now,” Finn said, Rey wincing from the shock and disgust in his voice.

“You just needed to ask”, he said, leaning over to unbuckle a restraint. Rey quickly leaned over to the other side to find her bracelet, sighing with relief that it was still on. She placed her thumb onto the back of the pendant that the Resistance made the mistake of keeping on her.

“You need to evacuate this planet, now,” Rey commanded.

“You can't leave, Rey, you're dangerous,” Finn pleaded.

“No, Finn, I am not dangerous.  _ He  _ is dangerous. And he's angry. He's so so angry,” Rey tried to warn him. Then she felt it. Kylo was becoming a presence in the back of her mind. The room had its old occupant back, the most welcoming feeling she had ever felt. His light was growing brighter. She reached out to it, calming herself, and then it clicked.

_ Ben? _

_ Rey. Rey where are you? Are you hurt? _

_ I'm fine. Drugged, I think. I can't use the force. Obviously the bond works now, but everything else is broken. _

_ Don't panic. I fought off the drug they gave me. The Mandalorians are bringing me to your location now. I guess mother dearest wants a word with me. _

_ Ben, I'm locked in a room. I called for the troopers. _

_ Good. Trig knows to alert Jacen immediately if that alarm was triggered. My knights should arrive shortly also. _

_ What if they kill me, Ben? For my crimes against the Resistance? _

_ They won't kill you. Not with Luke there. You're his only hope for the return of the Jedi. They're descending now. _

_ I can't feel you. I know you're there but I can't tell where you are. _

_ It might be the room you're in. The cuffs they have me in keep force users from accessing their powers. Possibly the same with that room. _

Rey looked around the room, but it was just plain white walls. Only her bed and Finn occupied the space. Finn was watching her closely, eyebrows furrowed.

_ I'm here. _

“He's here,” Rey told Finn, who's wasn't paying attention to her.

“Bringing her now,” he spoke into his wrist, where a speaker must be planted.

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The ship ramp dropped, and light flooded the ship as Kylo was pushed out at gunpoint. He squinted his eyes, letting them adjust to the light without his mask. There was a crowd waiting. Two lines formed on either side of the ramp of Resistance fighters. Each of them had a blaster pointed at him. At the far end of the line, he saw  _ her.  _ Her hair had greyed and her face had many more wrinkles, but she was still very much the woman he remember. She stood with the pride of a General and the ego of a Princess. He knew only she would recognize his face. Nobody else knew that it was the prodigal son of Leia Organa and Han Solo that had turned to the dark side.

The Mandalorian behind him shoved him further, a cue to keep walking. He did not.

“Where is she?” he called out, loud enough for his mother to hear from across the tarmac.

“Where is who?” Leia called back.

Kylo cracked his neck, already fed up with these games.

“Where is Lady Rey Ren, of the Knights of Ren, apprentice of Kylo Ren?” Kylo elaborated.

“We have Rey,” his mother called again, and that was all Kylo needed. He let all the anger and rage he had ever felt in the near 3 decades of his life flow through him, and the special cuffs that the Mandalorians put on him dropped to his feet, opened. The force flowed around him, and he swiped the blasters from the hands of everyone around him, and threw them all against the closest wall, advancing towards his mother. A man in a orange flight suit came running out, long blaster in hand, and he pointed it at Kylo. Kylo recognized him as the pilot that escaped, Poe Dameron.

“Don't come any further!” he commanded from his place beside the General. Kylo just chuckled and ignored him. He was surprised though, when Poe pointed the gun towards his mother's head.

“Stop where you are and get on your knees,” Poe demanded again.

Kylo laughed maniacally.

“Finish the job, pilot. I did not come here to kill Leia Organa, but if you did, it'd mark a target off my list.”

Kylo felt it then, Rey's presence, walking up to Leia. Poe turned his gun from the General and planted it firmly to Rey's skull. The ex stormtrooper behind him gasped and widened his eyes. He mustn't had been expecting this either. Another guard placed his blaster on the back of Rey's head, and Kylo stopped in his tracks. He knew Poe wouldn't kill Rey, but he did not know this other guard.

_ Ben,  _ Rey whimpered _. _

Kylo felt it then, the dark side. It pulled him in, a swirling cloud of darkness that he had never before. At first it took his breath away, but then he relished in it, soaking it in. The darkness took control, until all he saw was red.

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Rey knew what was coming when she saw Kylo’s eyes change color. She felt his darkness seeping over to her across the bond. His eyes flashed yellow.

“Let her go,” he growled, wind whipping his hair around.

It wasn't a natural storm suddenly converging on them, as Rey felt his powers take over.

The darkness pulled her in too, until she was once again one with the force, and the bonds around her wrists broke. She turned and quickly disarmed the man beside her that she did not recognize, a trick she learned from Jacen.

Poe kept his rifle pointed at her as she backed away from Finn and Leia and closer to Kylo.

_ I'm sorry _ , Poe mouthed, and he pulled the trigger. Rey easily deflected the blaster shot, sending it into the ground, yet, she still felt a sting in her left thigh. She looked down at a dart that was quickly draining its contents into her leg. She looked at Kylo before she crashed to the ground, once again shrouded in blackness.

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Kylo let it go when he saw Rey collapse. All of the pent up energy and lightning that he was holding on to was released to the sides and back of him. He wouldn't have been able to stop it from hurting Rey if he sent it towards his mother and the traitor. The surrounding soldiers were sent flying back, their skin crackling. The Mandalorian ship was destroyed, all systems fried. He ran to Rey, and collapsed beside her and lifted her body into his lap. Kylo created a shield around himself and Rey with his new found lightning, yanking the dart from her leg, and began concentrating. He could feel Jacen enter atmo, but along with Jacen came the blackout that was carried across the bond. Leia seemed to have noticed the ships entering her atmo, because the base went on high alert. It was chaos around Kylo as he sought out the drugs with the force, and began pulling them from her blood stream. Yellow fluid began to slowly leak from the small holes in her thigh, and Rey's pulse became stronger. When he could no longer pull anymore from her blood, he picked her up and lowered his shield ever so slightly. He could see his shuttle touch down, and then the clones’. He made his way to the black shuttle as the ramp opened, revealing Jacen and Kavaas, his third in command. The clones sprinted down their ramps and began opening fire on the Resistance ground troopers. Kylo slipped into his shuttle and laid Rey down on the bench.

“Watch her,” he commanded Jacen, and then sprinted towards the Mandalorian ship. He felt it before he saw it, and he ripped open the panel that held his saber. He then reached out for Rey's, locating it deep inside the command building. He tugged at Kavaas’ mind with the force, until she saw his location and followed him towards the building. 

“I need to get Lady Rey's staff, make sure no one follows me in,” he commanded.

Kavaas bowed her head and took her electric saber out.

Kylo ducked into the building, letting the pull of Rey's crystals lead him to her belongings.

He found them easily enough, tucked away in some closet. He pulled out her long cloak, the one he had given her so long ago on the Finalizer. He shoved his face into it, relishing in the sweet scent. He pulled it on over his robes and grabbed her staff. He felt a fluctuation in the force, but it was not Rey, and it was not his mother. He recognized the signature and narrowed his eyes.

_ Skywalker. _

Kylo turned and hurried the way he came, and stepped out into the battle ensuing on the base. He felt Luke's presence even more strongly now. He also felt Rey beginning to stir. He looked around the scene, and knew they were outmatched here in the open. No matter how badly he wanted to end Luke, he would not waste the life of his knights, his clones, and definitely not Rey. He nodded towards Kavaas and made his way to the shuttle, the flapping of a tan cloak retreating around a corner caught his eye. Luke Skywalker, the runaway. Trig waved his arm in a circle by his head, rounding up his troopers. He stepped into Kylo’s shuttle right behind the knights, followed by Zero. Kylo sat next to Rey, and pulled her head into his lap. The shuttle took off, and entered light speed before they got out of atmo.

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Rey awoke, and knew she was in a small craft. She hadn't been in very many ships, but she knew the difference between a shuttle and a star destroyer. Her head was propped and she could smell the familiar scent of Kylo. Her eyes fluttered open, and she went to sit up, but ended collapsed on the ground, clutching her throbbing thigh. She heard Kylo gasp as he reached down to her. She was quickly wrapped in warm arms, her thigh on fire. She could feel Jacen on the craft, and saw two unfamiliar knights. Maybe not so unfamiliar. One had to have been Jacen. He was wearing a mask, not unlike Kylo’s, but darker, a more matte black. It was more sinister looking, less carved and no chrome. Rey didn't know it was possible to have a more terrifying mask than Kylo's. The other Knight wasn't wearing a mask, just a deep hood, covering their face. She could see Trig and Zero from over Kylo’s arm.

“I thought that I got it all out. I swear I can't feel any more toxins within you. Maybe the dart pinched a nerve..” Kylo rambled, running a hand through her hair.

“I'm.. fine..” Rey forced out. “I'll go see Dr. Kleara when we get to the Finalizer. She'll know what to do.”

Kylo quieted, but she could still feel his apprehension. She pressed her lips to the cheek of his mask.

_ I'll be fine. The Resistance wouldn't have darted me with anything lethal _ , she reassured him.

He nestled his face in her hair, and she felt the guilt rolling off of him in deep waves.

_ I shouldn't have left you. How could they have outsmarted me? Of all people. They took you from right under my nose. I should have just killed the Mandalorians. I showed them mercy in the restroom when I should have killed them. It would have been so easy. I'm sorry, Rey, oh my Rey. How can you ever forgive me?  _ Kylo’s walls came crashing down, and Rey quickly built them back up, protecting his mind.

_ This wasn't your fault. It's mine. I called Finn all those weeks ago and let him know where we are. I..  _ but Rey didn't know how the Resistance found them. The last time she commed Finn was…

Rage overwhelmed Rey. It was a red flame, lapping and nipping, ready to be unleashed.

“That backstabbing, lying  _ traitor _ !” Rey yelled, surprising everyone on board. She pushed away from Kylo and sat up.

“The moment I get my hands on him, I will ring his  _ kriffing  _ neck. He tracked me! He used me to get a location on my comm, and he tracked me!”

Rey was standing now, pacing back and forth, through the pain coursing in her leg. She could hear the shuttle creaking, her anger pulsating throughout the Force. She was abruptly stopped and turned, and she began fighting back against the solid mass that was Kylo Ren.

“Let go. Let.. me… go! Turn this shuttle around, we have to go back. I told him not a come for me! I told him I was fine!”

“Rey, enough,” Kylo commanded, his voice loud and mechanic through his mask.

Rey stood still and looked up at him, through the slots where she knew his deep brown eyes were.

“He had them take me away. They.. they hurt you. I was happy! I..” Rey was cut off by the lump in her throat.

“I know, Rey. I know,” Kylo pulled her closer. “They hurt you, and they will pay. If not today, then tomorrow. This will not go unpunished,” Kylo promised, a shiver running down Rey’s back, because she knew that he was spoke the truth and she wanted to see his fury unleashed.

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Kylo’s arm tingled where the blood flow was being cut off by the weight of Rey's head. His head was cradled in his other hand, recounting all the bolts in his ceiling in his Finalizer bedroom, and then the steady heartbeats of the woman next to him. He couldn't sleep. The time was 0240 and Rey was deep in a dream, a happy one this time, hopefully. He pulled her out of a nightmare a few hours ago, and coaxed her into a much more pleasurable dream. He couldn't forget the fear she felt when she saw him in the nightmare, which was more of a memory. It was when he first found her on Tokadona, and she was being chased by a monster in a mask. Seeing himself through her eyes, with her emotions made him almost sick. But that was before she knew him, before she knew he would never hurt her. He just wished the dream would change. He snuck around the edges of her mind now, looking for a hole to slip into, and it wasn't hard. It was near impossible to not find a way in with their bond. He was plunged into her dreamscape, and was shocked at what he saw. Crumbled gray buildings littered the ground, dust permeated the air. There was a red glow from the setting sun that painted everything the color of crimson blood. And there was Rey, standing atop a pile of rubble, her staff ignited in her hand, black cloak flapping in the wind, hood over her dirt and blood smeared face. And sitting down in front of her was… him. He also wore a black cloak, and in one hand was a saber he did not recognize, glowing the deepest of purples.  He was sitting with his feet on the ground, knees up, and each wrist was on top of a knee, as if he was resting after a long fight. Rey's hand was on his shoulder. Dream Kylo’s head snapped up, and locked eyes with real Kylo, and then he was sucked out of the dream. He was left reeling in his bed, out of breath, the taste of death and dust still in his mouth. He looked for signs of distress in Rey, but she didn't show any. This wasn't a nightmare for her, but a reality.

Kylo went through multiple possibilities in his head. The first was that he might have to build a new saber. The kyber crystal that is on Coruscant that called to him was violet. The force wanted him to use it. But using it meant that he'd have to create a new saber because this one wouldn't be able handle being taken apart again. Kylo had grown attached his crossblade saber. Maybe he wouldn't have to change it. If this was foretelling, which wasn't all that uncommon with force users, then maybe he wouldn't have design a new saber. Luke had once told him that the future isn't set in stone like the past and present. What was and what is is carved into the face of the universe, but what will be is floating in the cosmos, creating new and different paths.

The second was that somewhere along the way, new saber or not, he and Rey would have a long and arduous battle, leaving just them. He didn't see any bodies in the rubble, or any survivors. He didn't know what it meant.

Kylo let his thoughts take him and he drifted off, sleep not far behind.

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Rey woke quickly, flung wildly into the bright world of consciousness. Her thigh was on fire. She grabbed onto the meat of her thigh and tried to massage away the pain. But it was useless. She could feel it throbbing in her veins, in her head, through the force. She looked beside her for Kylo, but the only thing in his spot of the bed was his rumpled pillow. Then she felt him through the force.

_ What's going on?! Are you okay?! I don't feel any pain. What's happening? Speak to me, Rey!  _ Kylo was frantic across the bond, and she could feel his signature traveling as fast as he could through the many levels and floors of the finalizer.

_ It's my leg. It hurts. Owwwww. It hurts so bad, Ben. Just take it. Take the entire thing off. I don't want it anymore. I can have a prosthetic. It's on fire,  _ Rey cried.

Rey pulled her sleep pants down to look at the wound that should have been healed. Dr. Kleara had cleared her, saying no toxins were present and slapped a bacta patch on. Shepulled the patch off, revealing a very angry, red wound. The three entrance holes of the dart were a dark purple, and bruises were forming around them. The top of her thigh to her knee cap was bright red and swollen. She touched it, and pulled her hand quickly away. The skin was hot a touch. The pain was worse than when she got stung by a sandwasp on Jakku.

She heard and felt the crash through the main door of Kylo’s suite, and before she could blink a second time she was scooped into his arms. He was carrying her through the hallway, where they ran into Jacen, who was running in their direction. He skidded and turned around, and Rey watched his race after them from over Kylo’s shoulders. She tried keeping the tears in as they passed troopers, but they slowly started leaking out. The ride up the turbolift was painfully slow, but it gave Jacen a chance to catch his breath, because Kylo was running again as soon as the doors opened. They crashed into med bay and Rey was plopped into a bed. She could hear Kylo explaining to Dr. Kleara everything that happened, and Rey watched her emerge from around the corner. Kylo came to the side of the bed.

“Can't you see? The bacta should have healed the wound, not make it worse. It seems like there are still toxins inside of her, but I could have sworn I got it all out, and then you made sure. Are you sure now, Dr?” Kylo boomed, and Rey knew that under his mask, his face was red with anger and his eyes were filled with fear.

“I'll have a run some more scans, Lord Ren. Lady Rey will be fine. There's nothing the Resistance has that we can't trace. Our medical technology far exceeds theirs,” Dr.Kleara tried it placate Kylo but he didn't relax in the slightest. His comm beeped and he took it in his hand, crushing it. He had come running out of a meeting with all the General's. He let Rey rest because of the ordeal and since he didn't want her seeing General Hux face to face quite yet. A mouse droid quickly and quietly scooted into the room and cleaned the mess.

“There has to be something we're missing. Maybe.. maybe it's not a toxin at all,” Kylo said, and Rey looked up to him, confused. “What if they injected her with some sort of.. infection? A life form? Like a bacteria or virus that quickly enters the bloodstream and caused unconsciousness?”

Dr. Kleara looked surprised at Kylo’s assumption.

“In theory yes, they could have. But there are no such beings that can work that quickly, that I know of. I'll run her blood again, and this time look for infection,” Dr. Kleara stated.

Kylo nodded his head, and took Rey's hand. She looked up at him, and smiled a weak smile. He brushed his other hand over her face, and pushed her hair out from in front of her eyes. A droid came in and took a small quick sample of blood from Rey's arm, and quickly hurried out. Dr. Kleara came back in within a minute.

“The scanner can't find any known bacteria or life form that doesn't belong in her blood,” the doctor began, and Kylo cut her off, “So you're just going to let her leg rot off? I can't have a knight with one leg, Doctor.”

Dr. Kleara waited for him to finish before she began again, “The system  _ did _ find an unknown bacteria in her blood though. None of the scanners can place it, and it's unknown to me. I've never seen anything like it.  _ But _ I can try fighting it. I'm putting you on two different antibiotics,” she spoke to Rey now, “They are patches that I stick on your skin, and it injects a preset amount of antibiotics onto your skin on a preset timer, and the medicine gets absorbed through your tissue.”

Rey nodded her head, and the doctor left, and quickly came back with three patches. The first two she stuck on her upper arm, and the third she gently pressed into her injured thigh.

“The third is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. It will last 5 days,” she handed Kylo two more, “put another on after that. Come back  _ if _ it gets worse.”

“Thank you,” Rey called out as the doctor left.

Rey could feel the pain reliever working, and a numbness went though her leg. Kylo helped her up, and he looked her up and down.

“Are you sure you want to walk?” he asked, worry surrounding his voice.

Rey nodded, and hobbled a few steps before putting weight on her leg. She was surprised to find it didn't hurt. She beamed a huge smile at Kylo, and lead him and Jacen out of the medical ward. She overheard Jacen and Kylo whisperer back and forth.

“How did this happen, Kylo? I mean, Mandalorians? You're Kylo Ren!”

“Yes, I realize that Jacen. They got her first. You know of our bond. Once she was out, it was only a matter of seconds before I was out too. They took us to the Resistance. I guess mother dearest paid a hefty amount to get her Jedi back.”

“But Rey's leg. It's not as it should be. It should be healed.”

“I don't know what she was thinking, darting Rey with whatever it was. But I will fix this. I will end them all,” Kylo whispered and the conversation ended.

By the time they made it to Kylo’s suite, Rey was exhausted. She'd only felt this tired one other time in her life, and it was when she was caught in a sand storm, and she lost all her gear and water, and had a walk days in the blistering heat to the nearest settlement. She waved her hand in front of the key pad and almost fell into the sofa in the sitting room. Kylo said bye to Jacen before following her.

“Hungry?” he asked, sitting down next to her, Holopad in his hand, mask laid on the table.

She shook her head, and he grabbed her jaw, pulling her face toward him.

“Who are you and what have you done with Rey?” he joked.

She pulled her face away and smiled.

“I'm just not hungry, I guess.”

“Are you sure? After three or four square meals a day, a meal never missed, you get quite grumpy when you haven't eaten,” Kylo teased.

Rey rolled her eyes and sunk further into the soft sofa. Kylo wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him, so she was nestled against his chest and under his arm. Rey watched the screen of his holopad, not focusing on the words, but instead the colors that flashed across until she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

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“What do you mean, she's  _ comatose _ !” Kylo screamed at the doctor, his anger pulsing through him.

“She's alive and breathing on her own, but all brain function other than what she needs a survive is shut down. She's completely unconscious. She must've entered the coma when she fell asleep in your chambers. There's no pain stimuli, and she doesn't react to sound or light. We tried adrenaline and reversal drugs, but none of it worked. Whatever they put in her is attacking her system, Lord Ren, and I have no idea how to stop it,” Dr. Kleara said as calmly and as nicely as she could.

Kylo spun, and punched the durasteel wall behind him until he could feel the fracture in his hand grow with each hit. His arm and hand throbbed, and yet, he wished to keep hitting something.

“Lord Ren, allow me to set the bones,” the doctor said, advancing on him.

“No,” he commanded, jerking away from her. “Leave it be.”

The doctor stepped back, and laid a hand on Rey's leg.

“The only advice I could give you, Lord Ren, is what I would do in your situation. I would go to the Resistance and demand the cure. Surely if they have the toxin, they have the cure,” and with that, Dr. Kleara stepped out of the room.

Kylo collapsed on his knees at the side of Rey's bed. She was hooked up to wires and monitors, looking for brainwaves and changes in her pulse.

_ I need you to come back, Rey. I can't do this alone. I love you with my entire being. You need to wake up _ , Kylo begged across the bond, but all that was returned was silence. Rey's end of the bond was locked. He couldn't enter her mind, or communicate with her. The only thing left of her was a very weak force signature.

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Kylo kept up with his duties while on Starkiller base. He backtracked the location to the Resistance base from the shuttles, and gave the information to Hux. The General would deal with the scum quickly.

Three days later came the news that the D’Qar base was destroyed, and yet, Kylo still felt a twinge of disappointment. He knew through the force that his mother was still alive, planning, plotting. Besides his revenge, Kylo tried sticking to routine. He met with the General's and leaders, and trained with his knights, but all other time he spent in Rey's room, sectioned off from the rest of the medical bay. They took off all the monitors except the one set to her heart and respiratory rate. The doctors had no hope of her regaining consciousness. Kylo would sit, and talk to her about his day, holding her hand. He ate his meals with her, and slept in the small recliner, day after day. He was on his second week sleeping in an awkward uncomfortable position in the too small chair. He only went to his suite shower, and even then, he hurried, so not to see the bed in the same mess it was left in before Rey went into a coma. He didn't want to look at the sofa where she spent her first nights, or the small table where they shared their meals.

Kylo now marched through a top floor hall, on his way to the bridge of the Finalizer. Hux was standing in front of the windows, watching the space around him, as pilots and technicians scurried about. Captain Phasma was in the back, arms crossed in front of her, keeping track of the controlled chaos.

“Lord Ren,” she greeted him, a slight tilt of her chrome helmet.

Kylo grunted back at her and stood next to her, copying her cross armed stance. Kylo watched the pilot that Rey had made friends with the First time her brought her here. She was so intrigued by what it took to keep such a beast up and running. Kylo smiled at the old memory, for it was months ago. Kylo heard him before he saw him, the storm trooper running full speed towards him.

“Lord Ren! It's Lady Rey! She's seizing-” Kylo was running out of the bridge and to the closest turbolift before the stormtrooper could finish.

The ride down to the medical floor was painfully slow, even as the floors flew past. As soon as there was a crack in the door large enough for him to fit, he was running again. He flung himself down the halls, his long legs easily carrying him. His heart stopped as he rounded the corner and saw all the nurses and med droids frantically running in and out of Rey's room. He pushed past them to get to her. Rey was being held in place by three nurses, her body shaking and tremoring.

“She's still seizing? I thought.. isn't it..” Kylo stuttered. He was no doctor but he knew the dangers of prolonged seizures.

“Do something!” he yelled, as he watched white foam leak from Rey's perfect pink lips. Her eyes were rolled back, and her body was rigid. He moved a nurse away and took her place, holding Rey down. He reached at her face, pushing back her sweat soaked hair and cupped her cheek.

_ Please Rey, fight whatever is happening. Fight it. I'm going to find the cure. I just need you to live. Live for me, Rey. _

Kylo rested his masked face on Rey's stomach as she continued to tremor, and then as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Rey's muscles relaxed and she sunk back into the bed. Kylo wiped the foam and saliva from her face as nurses and doctors ran around her, checking vitals and the monitors.

“What happened?” he asked to no one in particular.

“She began seizing, and nothing would stop it. She may have lasting brain damage, if she wakes up from this,” a male doctor said from where he was checking a monitor.

“I'm not going to let that happen,” Kylo said standing up. He ripped off the monitors from Rey's chest and fingers, and the machines went insane. He picked her up bridal style, like he did when they first met, and began carrying her out of the door, damn the medical staff.  

“Lord Ren! She needs to be monitored. It's dangerous for her to-” the doctor started, but Kylo closed his mouth with the force.

“I'm taking her to get the cure.”

Kylo carried Rey out of the medical bay and to the turbolift. He quickly commed Jacen.

“This is Jacen,” the knight spoke.

“You're acting First Knight until further notice. Take care of my knights, brother,” Kylo commanded, before crushing his comm in his hand.

The turbolift stopped at the hangar bay. As he stepped onto the ramp, he reached out with the force and ripped off the tracker beacon on the underside of his shuttle as an afterthought, and loaded Rey into his personal shuttle. He set her on a bunk set into the wall, and took his place as pilot. He put in the last known coordinates of The Resistance, from their best spy and was in lightspeed the moment he left the Finalizer. They were on Yavin IV, at an old Rebel Alliance base last week, or so the First Order spies said.

The flight was long, as the Finalizer had moved three or four systems away from Yavin and it's moons. He periodically checked on Rey, and noticed that her fever had gotten worse. Her face was red and hair was plastered to her skin. Her lips had become chapped. Kylo picked up her hand, and kissed each individual knuckle.

_ You're going to make it, my love. _

Kylo sat watching her, thinking about the complications of the bond. He had received every injury she had received since the bonds awakening, and now, she was unconscious and dying and he was awake and alive. The only possibility that ran through his mind was that the bacteria must have split the bond, keeping Rey in her own mind.

Kylo stood when he heard the beeping from the cockpit, indicating they had arrived at the Yavin system. Kylo piloted his shuttle around the red planet of Yavin, and entered the atmosphere of Yavin IV. Yavin IV was once home to the Massassi Warriors and Kylo remembered coming here as a child, and finding old ruins, rummaging around in old Rebel Alliance artifacts from his parents’ time. Kylo lowered his shuttle as he neared the last known coordinates of The Resistance. He ignored the call from control to identify himself and his purpose, slamming the comm link shut. The landing was easy, as there was a cleared area for spacecraft. There were no signs of a large base, but Kylo knew that there were many underground chambers and halls that lead to great rooms. He gathered the sweat soaked Rey into his arms, and stepped into the warm damp air. The jungle around him was quiet, another sign that there were occupying forces here. He felt out with the force, and sure enough, there was a teeming hive underneath him and around him in the hills. He also felt the cameras watching him. He shifted Rey in his arms

“I wish to speak to General Leia Organa Solo. I have her Jedi. She has the cure to whatever you injected her with. She's dying. She's been a coma for two weeks. She had seizures earlier today,” Kylo called out, hoping someone would hear.

He heard a mechanical hum, and the side of a hill lifted, revealing old x-wings, and a line of Resistance ground troopers, weapons drawn. From behind them, he saw her. Gray haired and wrinkled, a worried look furrowed her brow, as always. Her hair was in a bun, as expected. She carried herself with grace, pride, and yet Kylo could feel her apprehension.

“Set her down, and then lay down your weapons, and kneel with you back to us,” a man called out.

Kylo gripped Rey tighter. He knew this was coming. There was no way the Resistance would give Rey the cure and then let them both walk free.

“I need to know you have it, first,” Kylo called out, shaking his head.

“I have it,” his mother spoke, closer now than she has been in many years. He watched as she raised her hand, and in it, a small vial.

Kylo fell to his knees, Rey in his arms, tears streaming down his masked face. She was going to live. He set her down, flat on her back, and crossed her arms over her chest. The troops had begun their advance, and they were quickly making their way towards them. He made sure her medical gown was covering her completely, before he stroked her face.

“I love you, Rey. When this is all over, and I am no longer here, just know that I love you. I would have set the galaxy aflame for you. Snoke, Hux, the First Order, none of it matters. Please, when I'm gone, take care of Jacen. He needs someone to keep him out of trouble. Keep practicing your forms. Your left side is still left open for attack, protect it. And please, my love, don't forget me,” Kylo whispered, the soldiers now surrounding him. Kylo gave up every selfish thought and feeling, this was for Rey. She needed him to this, despite the fact she would never forgive him afterwards. He didn't fight as he felt a jab in his neck, and then darkness, his last thought of Rey, and her brown eyes that saw into the core of him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEeeeeeeekk.
> 
> I warned that it would be awful. This entire half of the fic is just draining, physically and mentally. It freaking sucked to type. I needed some type of super bad thing to happen, so it's about to happen, and y'all are gonna see a side of Rey that hasn't been shown before.
> 
> Also, y'all fuel my fire (I'm talking to you, commenters and those who gave kudos) so some more writer fuel would be appreciated. Comment on what y'all liked and didn't like, and I will fix it for the future. Yes, I am aware my world building sucks, I'm working on it.
> 
> Lastly, for all you trash can dwellers ( I include myself because I permanently reside in the Star Wars trash dumpster of ships) I will 100% be writing another fic after this one with much more plot, and its going to be actual slowburn. LIke knife to the heart slowburn. And to make it even better, it will be Reylux. There is no kink/ship shaming in this dumpster!!
> 
> So for now, TATA, while I make this fic better and try to catch up on my writing. No promises on update date. Hopefully by the 12th.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So according to Standard Alaska time it is still Dec. 12, meaning I made a deadline!!!
> 
> This chapter is going to rip your heart out and piss on it, and then rally it up again for a battle cry. Get ready for that emotional roller coaster. BUT PLEASE KEEP READING THE CHAPTERS AFTER THIS I PROMISE I WILL MAKE IT BETTER
> 
> Happy(not) reading, nerds.

Rey fought through the layers of consciousness, the light in the room too bright for her dry and tired eyes. Her throat felt as dry as the Jakku deserts, and just as raspy. Her lips were cracked and painful. She lifted a hand over her face and blinked multiple times. The image of the room surrounding her was blurry, but she knew the walls and ceiling were white. Maybe she had gotten worse and Kylo took her to the med bay. She looked around for Dr. Kleara or a med droid. She knew Kylo wasn't with her, he was probably at some First Order meeting with the Generals. Rey reached out for him, and then quickly withdrew her reach. He wasn't there. And she most definitely was not on Starkiller. There were no drilled, tediously working signatures of Stormtroopers, no disciplined, silent, tumultuous signatures of the Knights of Ren, and especially no bright blot in the galaxy, filled with rage and regret and love, the signature of Kylo Ren. Rey pushed through her bond and found nothing, not even a whisper. Rey could hear her heart hammering in her room chest answer she was brought back to the memory of losing him when she was captured, the awful, unbreakable silence that was once again crashing over her. She took deep breaths and got ahold of herself. What would Kylo do? 

She looked around her. It was only her, her bed, and a toilet in the room. The walls were completely white. There was a single door set into the wall, with a small window. There were four cameras, one in each corner of the square room. She looked down. She was in a medical gown, with two little square monitors on her forearms. Her leg was no longer swollen, or red, and there was no signs of a previous injury. She sat up, but quickly fell back down on the bed, as a dizzy spell crashed over her. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before trying again. This time, she kept her eyes closed, to keep the room from spinning around her. She used the force to balance herself. Once she was okay sitting, she slowly raised herself into her bare feet. The floor was cold, and sent shivers down her spine, covering her skin in gooseflesh. She went to the nearest camera and looked directly into the lens. 

“I wish to speak to whoever is in charge here,” she called out. 

She had no idea where she was, but whoever had taken her prisoner had healed her wounds, so they must not want a hurt her, at least not yet. She twirled her bracelet around her wrist. She didn't know if she should call for Trig and Jacen. She had no idea who or what they would be up against. And Kylo? Where was he? He never shuts her out. He might be in a meeting with Snoke, she thought to herself, but quickly dismissed it. He said many weeks ago that Snoke was deep in the Unknown Regions. If she was missing, there was no way he'd waste his time with Snoke. 

Rey heard a hissing noise from behind her, and turned to see dark gray fumes enter through a small vent in the wall. She covered her mouth as she began coughing, but it was no use. She slumped against the wall, unable to move, and then her senses went dark. She couldn't hear, see, smell, feel, or taste anything. She was still conscious, but her sensory receptors were wiped out. The only thing she could feel was the loneliness creeping its way into her soul. So many years left alone on Jakku, and Kylo and their bond had been with her for nearly a year now. He was always right there, a single shift in thought away. Now there was crippling silence, threatening to drag her down with it. Rey didn't know how long it took for a dull light to appear in front of her eyes, and then a ringing in her ears. She shook her head, and the ringing stopped, replaced with the sound of her own panicked breathing. Her eyesight came back, and she was in the same room. Then her feeling, and she winced as her ankle twisted in a tight tether, pinching the skin. All four of her limbs were strapped down to her bed, her hands in the same blue sparking shackles that Kylo had been placed in. Rey couldn't reach her connection to the force, but didn't push it. She remembered Kylo’s words, “The force is always there. It never leaves you. The connection may be a little shaky, but it's there.” 

Rey looked around the little white room, and then to the door when she heard it crack open. Her heart stopped when she saw the gray haired woman walk through. General Leia. Rey pulled against the straps as the older woman got closer. 

“Get away from me!” Rey shouted at her, trying her hardest to break through her bindings. 

Leia stopped where she was and held her hands out. 

“Please, dear child. I don't want to hurt you. You were very sick. You're better now,” Leia smiled, and then Rey remembered. 

The dart that Leia had ordered shot into her leg had made her sick. That must've meant that Leia had the cure. 

“How long have I been here? Where's Ben?” Rey asked, pushing out for the force with everything she had now. 

“You've been in a coma for six days while you were here, and for two weeks while you were with... Ben. He brought you here. He knew we could help you, and in exchange, he gave us what we needed the most,” Leia spoke softly. 

“What… what did you need the most?” Rey stammered, knowing well enough in her heart what the general was talking about. 

Leia didn't say a word, her eyes had said enough, and then it all clicked for Rey, in very quick, painful pieces until a picture formed in her mind. There was no connection over their bond, it was radio silence on his side. She couldn't feel him, or touch him.  Kylo had brought her here to be cured, in exchange for his execution. There was nothing Rey could do, nothing but scream. She screamed and cried until her lungs felt heavy and her throat couldn't make a noise, and still she cried. She didn't know how long she lay there, strapped to the bed, crying. Leia came and went multiple times, as did several doctors. Three nurses came in and brought in trays of food at different times that Rey refused to eat. To live you need to eat, but what was there to live for now? It was only until she had stopped crying, and the fourth nurse came and went with a tray, that Rey got a hold of herself, breathing through a dry, hoarse throat until her wits came about. 

“I wish to speak to Finn, Poe Dameron, and Leia Organa Solo,” she spoke to no one in particular, but she knew the cameras would hear. 

Seconds later the door flung open, and Finn and Poe entered the room. Finn was forcing a smile, but Poe didn't try to mask his emotions. His brow was furrowed and his jaw was set. 

“Heya scavenger,” Finn broadened his smile, and then stepped right up to her bed. “How's the leg?”

“First things first,” Rey started, looking from Poe to Finn, “The General needs to be here for me to begin.”

“I'm here,” came the sound of the Leia’s voice, and Rey heard her steps come up to the bed. 

“Good. You will let me go. I am not a prisoner, and you cannot keep me here. You will give me all possessions that were on Ben. I will take whichever ship he brought here,” Rey began, and shook her head at the start of Finn’s protest. 

“You cannot keep me, if I don't want to be here. It's only a matter of time before I find my connection with the force and break myself out. Second,” she said, looking at Finn, new tears streaming down her raw cheeks, “ Don't you ever.. ever.. try to make contact with me again. I know this was your idea Finn. I told you that I was fine. It's  _ your  _ fault that Ben is dead. I loved you Finn. I loved you, and this is what you did.”

Rey watched as Finn backed up, wiping the tears from his own cheeks and turned away, walking quickly out of the room. She looked at Poe, “This is just as much your fault Poe. I know you encouraged this. Take care of him. Don't do it for me, do it for him.”

Poe nodded, his head hung low, and he stepped back for Leia to approach. 

“I will give you what you ask, Rey. Not because I want to, because it's what right. It's what Luke would have done.. what.. what Han would have done,” she said, before pressing her hand against the shackle on Rey's wrist, releasing it's hold. The one on the other unclasped, and Rey leaned forward and undid the buckles on her ankles. 

“He still loved you, you know,” Rey said as Leia straightened. 

“He still loved you, despite everything. He would never admit it to himself, but I have been to the very dark recesses of his mind, and it was there, a little glowing light that maybe someday, you'd allow him to come home. And then you killed him. I love him, General. I needed him more than the tides need the moons and the jungle needs water. He was my home, and now I have nothing,” Rey whispered. 

Leia walked towards the door, “Ben's belongings and a set of clothes will be brought to you shortly. And Rey? May the Force be with you.” 

Leia walked out of the door, leaving Rey alone in the room once more, thinking over how easy it was to gain her freedom. Just as the general had said, two bots brought in everything she asked for. She went to the clothes first, brown tunic and tan pants. She pulled them on quickly, unashamed of the cameras watching. She pulled on the black boots, and quickly laced them. The next bot came up to her, and in its arms were Kylo’s belongings. She picked up his cloak and pressed her face against it, fresh tears on her cheeks. She flung it behind her and pulled her arms through the holes, and rolled them up. Her eyes caught on something flashing. She reached her hand out, and grasped the hilt of Kylo’s cross blade saber. She ran her hands up and down its rough edges and exposed wiring. She clipped it to her belt, and reached out to the rest of his belongings. She picked up his helmet, and pressed her face against the cool steel and chrome. She traced every little scratch in the metal, every perfect imperfection. She traced the spot where his scar would be, above the brow, down the bridge of his nose and across his cheek. She tucked it under her elbow. She gathered up his tunic and robes, and stopped. There were no pants or boots with his belongings. They stripped him of his shirt and left him half dressed before they… before the murdered him. Rey turned towards the door, and it opened from the outside. A man dressed in light brown, with black hair and shockingly green eyes turned towards her. 

“If you'd follow me, I will take you to your ship,” he said, inclining his head. 

Rey nodded, and followed the man around multiple corners and down many hallways until she saw daylight peeking out. He lead her up a flight of stairs, and Rey looked around the giant docking station of multiple x-wings and troop shuttles. Far in the corner was Kylo’s personal shuttle. Rey left the guide behind and ran towards the sleek black ship. The door opened automatically at her presence, and she ran up the ramp. She stopped inside, and looked around her. The familiar space felt empty, lonely. She set Kylo’s belongings on the bunk in the far room, and made her way to the pilot's chair. She sat in its soft seat, and ran her hands up and down the arm rest. She looked over at her chair, the copilot's chair. She had never flown this beast without him. Rey shook her head, and started the familiar flight startup sequences, and easily left the underground hangar. She looked at the jungle around her, reminding her of Tokadona, of her first encounter with  _ her  _ monster. Rey quickly left the ground, and headed to atmo, leaving Finn and the Resistance behind her. Safely out of atmo, Rey scrolled through the list of planets, until she found what she was looking for, and preset the autopilot. The shuttle went into light speed, and Rey leaned back in the chair, and closed her eyes, trying to remember every last detail of the man she loved, from the perpetually perfect hair, to the constellation of moles on his face, his too long nose, and too wide mouth, and the perfect pink scar that bisected his face.

The dash sounded when she was close to Coruscant air space. She thumbed the pendant on her bracelet, and descended quickly into atmo. The shuttle was pre-programmed to land on Kylo’s roof, and she let the autopilot take care of that. She gathered up all of Kylo’s belongings and waited at the ramp for his shuttle to land. She stepped out into the cool Coruscant night, and breathed in the familiar scent of smog and industrial air. She went to the turbolift door and entered her pin, stepping into the small tube. She stepped out again, into Kylo’s pad, and sighed in relief, surrounded by familiar walls. She set Kylo’s helmet on the bar in the kitchen, and then went to their room. She neatly folded his robe and shirt, and tucked them into a drawer. She walked up to the bed, and ran her hands down the soft comforter.

Rey squealed as she turned around and bumped into the heavily armored body of Trig. She looked up at his black mask allowed dark visor, and broke down, wrapping her arms around his waist, letting every tear inside of her fall. A large hand pressed against her back, and then a large arm wrapped around her shoulders. This trooper, this engineered man, gave her what she needed in that moment. He showed compassion, and hugged her back. Rey pushed off of him, and wiped her face. 

“Is Jacen here yet?” she asked the trooper. He shook his head. 

“Lady Rey, we've been worried. Lord Ren did something to your bracelet so that we couldn't see you until you activated it. We couldn't track his shuttle either,” Zero spoke up from behind Trig. 

Rey walked back down the hallway, past her three personal guards, hand grazing the armor across their chests, and into the living room. 

“I'm fine. I hope,” Rey whispered, as she sat down in a corner of the sofa, and pulled her knees to her chest. 

Zero jumped on the bar, and sat on the marble surface next to Kylo’s helm, while Trig and Daks sat on the smaller sofa, removing their helmets. Rey's head buzzed as she regained connection with the Force, the drugs finally wearing off. All three troopers were tense, and ready to fight. They were anxious, for some reason. She hadn't known these men very long, and yet they were here, anxious for her, comforting her. She had found a best friend in Trig, much like Jacen. These men were all she had left, these clones and her dark knight. Rey jumped when the main door slammed open and Jacen came crashing into the room throwing his mask onto the ground. He picked her up off the couch and kissed her cheeks. He held her close and peppered her face with kisses. 

“ _ Kriff,  _ Rey, where the hell have you been?” he asked, holding her out, inspecting her. 

“Are you hurt, are you alright? Kylo would sever my head from my body if you were hurt,” Jacen looked into her eyes, searching. 

Rey choked at the mention of Kylo. She had no idea her body could produce so many tears in a short amount of time. Where had the water come from? Tears streamed down Rey's face, as she grabbed Jacen’s hands. 

“It doesn't matter anymore, Jacen. Ben.. The Resistance,” Rey stopped, the knot in her throat too big to allow her to talk, but she felt the realization strike him.

Jacen crumpled, landing on his knees with a resounding thud that echoed in Rey's ears. This knight, the most composed person she knew besides Captain Phasma, had lost his composure. 

“I.. he.. he told me.. a week ago. He told me that I was acting First Knight until further notice. I couldn't reconnect the call. You were seizing, in the med bay, they couldn't make you better. They say he picked you up and left without another word. No one knows where he went... He… he was my best friend. Since I was 12. We came in right around the same time. We trained together, lived together.. How do you know?” Jacen looked up at her 

“The General told me. She said.. she said I was sick, and they had the cure, and he traded my life… for his. They executed him,” Rey spoke, only loud enough for the four men in the room to hear. 

Rey reached under the heavy cloak and pulled out his saber, and held it out. Jacen grabbed the hilt at first, but then let go. 

“No, Rey this is yours. And I, as First Knight and Master of the Knights of Ren, hereby fully.. fully induct you into the circle, as Lady Rey.. Ren,” Jacen choked, as he stood. 

Rey collapsed back down on the couch, and Jacen climbed next to her, arm around her small shoulders. Rey had not gained comfort from anyone in all the years on Jakku, in all the time with Kylo from anyone except  _ him _ . Kylo had been her main source of comfort since she had known him, and yet here was Jacen, showing how much he cared. Despite the tragic events that had happened, Rey felt loved, like she belonged.

“Trig?” she called for the tall clone. 

He stepped up to and looked down. 

“Can you put Jacen in place of Kylo? I.. I just want to make sure he's okay, and if anything happens to me..” Rey trailed off. 

“Anything you say, Lady Rey,” Trig smiled down at her and she weakly smiled back. 

“We have to go. I have to tell the Knight's,” he looked at Rey. 

“I will go with you as far as the Finalizer, but that is it. There is someplace I must go,” Rey said, looking up into Jacen’s blue eyes. 

He blinked and then nodded, grasping Rey's hand, “Let's not waste any time.”  
  


**Chapter 17:**

Rey sat in the pilot's seat of Kylo’s shuttle, holding his mask in hand. Jacen and the three troopers sat in silence in the back. Trig had already passed the information through to the other troopers that Kylo was no longer a priority, and that Rey and the new first knight were in command.  Rey looked up as the Finalizer came into view. She still hadn't grown accustomed to the immense size of the First Order’s Resurgent class star destroyers. They were twice the size of the ones she scavenged from on Jakku.

“State your ID for landing on bay four of the Finalizer,” a voice came over the comm. 

“This is Rey, with Jacen Ren, of the Knights of Ren. We request landing.”

The comm was silent until the voice spoke again, “request granted, proceed.”

Rey sighed with relief. The shuttle landed smoothly, and Rey lowered the ramp to find a squad of stormtroopers pointing their blasters at her. Her dark troopers flanked her, blasters drawn. Jacen came up from behind her and took point.

“What's the meaning of this?” he shouted. 

The group of Stormtroopers parted, revealing General Hux and Captain Phasma. 

“Where is Kylo Ren? This is his personal shuttle, is it not?” the general asked. 

“Kylo Ren is dead,” Rey announced, and she watched as the stormtroopers all lowered their weapons. Phasma took a step back, while Hux’s face went lax. 

“Killed by the Resistance,” Rey added, before walking off the ramp, Kylo’s mask tucked under her arm. She stopped when she heard the red haired man mutter something under his breath along the lines of “Good riddance.”

Rey spun around, her hand whipping out, picking Hux up by the throat with the Force. 

“He did not tolerate disrespectfulness while he was here, and I will not tolerate it in his death, is that clear,  _ General _ ?” Rey sneered, anger rolling off of her in a very familiar and pleasing way. 

“Yes, Lady Ren,” Hux choked, and Rey released him, leaving him to slump to the ground. The stormtroopers parted as Jacen, Rey and the deathtroopers made their way across the hangar and into the belly of the Finalizer. 

Rey went to Kylo’s suite first. A swipe of her hand and the door opened, revealing it exactly as she remembered. Her troopers hung back as she entered, running her hand down the arm of the sofa where she spent her first nights, and then turned to the closet in the wall. A shelf folded out, revealing her staff and her blue saber. She turned and quickly walked out, staff strapped to her back, avoiding the room where they spent their nights on the Finalizer. 

Rey and the trio made their way to the Knight's floor, and entered the large training room. There she found Jacen, clearly at a end of his speech. Ikiondu and Futevi glanced at each other nervously, and then looked and glared at her as she brought three new men into the room who did not belong. The deathtroopers held themselves proudly, if not arrogantly. Jacen dismissed the Knights and turned to Rey. 

“Where will you be going? He'd want me to keep track of you, you know?” Jacen said, grasping Rey by the shoulder. 

“I'm going to visit some old friends. There's… things that need to be said and done,” said Rey, grabbing Jacen hand from her shoulder. She wrapped her other hand around it. 

“Please, stay safe, Jacen Ren. If I lost you and him, I wouldn't know how to live. Take care of these Knights. They need you now more than ever,” Rey said, and then she kissed Jacen’s hand and turned away, heading towards the door. 

“Hey bucketheads!” he called out to her troopers, “you keep her alive, or I'll come after you and you'd wish you never left that miserable planet of water!”

Rey turned through the familiar hallways of the Knight's floor and got into the turbolift. She stopped at the hangar bay, and was surprised at being held up by Captain Phasma. Rey squinted as a light glinted off her chrome armor. 

“Lady Rey, there's something I must tell you. It's about Lord Ren. After he departed, he put his entire account, earnings, and list of possessions into your name. Everything that he owned, is now yours. That includes his rooms aboard this ship. I hope this helps,” Phasma said, handing her three credit chips and a holopad. “There's no tracker, don't worry, I already got it pulled. His debit codes are synced in here. Don't worry about running out anytime soon. He has many years worth of high salary rolled over on multiple accounts. Rey? Please be safe,” and then Phasma did the most surprising thing of all, and hugged Rey. It was fast, almost deniable, but Rey knew what it was. 

“Thank you, Captain,” Rey nodded, before making her way to Kylo’s… no. Her shuttle. 

Rey sat down in the pilot's seat and rolled her neck, the audible pops echoing in the empty shuttle. She moved her staff from her back and set it against the copilot's seat. 

She pulled up the list of planets and touched her first stop. She piloted the shuttle easily, and put it in autopilot for light speed.. they had a very long ways to go. Rey laid back in the chair and closed her eyes, giving way to her waking dreams. 

Rey was no longer in her shuttle, she was on a cliff face, looking down on her Deathtroopers. She felt the presence of Kylo behind her and turned around, ripping his helmet off. She kissed his face, his eyes, his hands. 

“I need you, Ben. I don't know if I can do this without you,” she cried, leaning her head on his chest. She felt the warm embrace of his arms and felt the rumble in his chest as he began to speak.

“I love you, Rey. When this is all over, and I am no longer here, just know that I love you. I would have set the galaxy aflame for you. Snoke, Hux, the First Order, none of it matters. Please, when I'm gone, take care of Jacen. He needs someone to keep him out of trouble. Keep practicing your forms. Your left side is still left open for attack, protect it. And please, my love, don't forget me,” Kylo said. Rey looked up at him, confused. 

His form started to disappear, and it began walking up the hill behind them.

“Ben!” she shouted after him, not wanting to lose him. 

“Find me, Rey. Only you can. Find me, love,” Kylo called back down. 

Rey fell to her knees, rock and pebbles digging into her skin. 

“I can't Ben. I can't find you. You're gone,” she sobbed. Rey felt a soft brush against their bond, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. 

A loud beeping pulled her out of her dream, and she awoke to a flashing light on the dash of the shuttle. She was nearing her destination. Rey entered the coordinates for the planet that she could remember, and waited as the the shuttle entered the atmosphere of the green forested planet. It had large lakes and oceans, and trees taller than some of the buildings on Coruscant. The shuttle landed on a soft brown pad, and Rey picked up Kylo’s helmet, motioning for the troopers to follow her off the ramp. 

Rey watched as twelve or so armed Wookies approached her. She put her free hand up.

“I come in peace. I'm looking for Chewbacca. He told me he would be here, on his home planet, if I needed him. My name is Rey,” she called out to the group. 

A male with gray in his coat looked from her to the Deathtroopers. 

“These are my men. They are with me. They mean you no harm. They're here to keep me safe,” Rey explained to the Wookiee that was clearly in charge. 

Rey heard a familiar shout and grumble from a distance, and the Wookiees parted to reveal Chewie. He ran up to Rey and picked her up in a hug, twirling her around, grumbling and ranting.

“Yes, yes, Chewie. I'm okay. Oh? You spoke to Luke a while ago? He's gone back to Ach-to? Okay. That's good to know, how are you?” 

Chewie set her down and look at her men. He grumbled an “I'm okay, just bored,” and shrugged his soldiers. 

Kylo’s helmet began to weigh her down. 

“Chewie… I have to tell you something… it's about Ben. The Resistance.. Leia.. they killed him, Chewie. Executed him-” Rey couldn't finish as Chewie cried out, much like he did when Kylo ran his saber through Han Solo’s  chest. 

Chewie hung his head and dropped his shoulders. Rey pulled out the mask, and showed it to Chewie. The Wookiee ran his hand over it and grumbled. 

“I have everything. He gave me.. everything. I love him, Chewie. I don't know what to do without him,” Rey sobbed. 

The big Wookie took her in his arms again and hugged her growling and muttering. 

“I'm not asking you to come with me. I would never ask that of you, what I'm going to do isn't pretty, and I'll most likely be killed in the process,” she informed him. 

Chewbacca looked back at his people, the Wookiees that were still on the platform. The gray haired one roared at Chewie, and Chewie looked down at Rey, nodded. He'd come. 

Chewie asked about the Falcon, docked a little ways over. Rey shook her head. 

“It's too distinguishable. Too known. We'll take my shuttle,” Rey pointed behind her. 

Chewie grumbled and growled some more, and Rey waited as he went to fetch his belongings. He came back with just his satchel and bowcaster in hand. Rey looked at the bowcaster closely as Chewbacca approached. This was the weapon that dealt Kylo the scar above his hip. The scar she had kissed and touched so many times. Rey forced herself to look away and walk up the ramp, followed by her dark trio. She heard Chewie board, and called back to him. 

“I'm gonna need a copilot, you big furball!” 

She was almost pushed out her seat when he playfully shoved her shoulder. He sat to her right, in the chair that used to be hers, grumbling about where to next. 

“I need to do something that Luke wouldn't approve of. But Han might have,” Rey told the Wookie, looking sideways at him. 

Rey scrolled through the search engines on the holopad until she found what she needed, a location. Rey sat as Chewie told her stories about the planet, from when he and Han first met Luke and got plunged into a war amongst the stars. Rey listened intently, as Luke never told her anything of his past. He mostly grabbed her attention by the mentioning of the name Obi-Wan Kenobi, an old jedi master from before the rise of the Empire. Rey had heard the name someplace else, yet even with her exceptional memory, could not place it. Her and Chewie were drawn back to reality by the sounds of the cockpit, warning them of the quickly approaching planet. 

Rey had visited the small planet of Tatooine before, on her first and only mission, but they were on the opposite side. The resemblance to Jakku was uncanny and Rey wondered how many more desert planets there were where people wallowed in misery and sand their entire lives, making just enough to survive. The shuttle followed the coordinates to a bustling outpost by the name of Mos Eisley. The buildings were all sand and mortar based, little cruisers and speeders speeding down the dusty streets. The shuttle landed in and open docking station, and Rey turned towards the main area of the shuttle. She hooked Kylo’s saber to her belt, and pulled her cloak tight around herself. A flash of light glinting off of metal caught her attention, and her head turned towards Kylo's mask. She walked over to where it lay, and imagined the face that belonged in it. She reached out and touched it, and was hit by a vision. It was of a masked Kylo, surrounded by her clones, saber ignited in hand, except Kylo was the same height as the death troopers, and this imposter was much smaller. Rey looked around her, at her tall troopers, and swallowed. She shook her head and picked up the mask, unsure of what the force was asking her to do, but willing to do it anyways. She donned the mask, and breathed out when it fit perfectly over her buns. It smelled like him, so much that she could almost taste it. The eye slots were surprisingly not too small, just tinted a slight red hue. She breathed easily through it, and her hearing was not impaired. Rey pulled the hood up over the helmet and made sure the shadow beneath hid the famous mask. She turned towards her troopers again, and led them from the shuttle. Rey gave the worker a few credits, and made sure the shuttle was secure before leaving. Kylo had pre-programmed it to recognize her, Jacen, and the troopers. It wouldn't open if a stranger or Chewbacca tried to enter alone. 

Rey knew exactly where she was going, despite the fact she had never been to Mos Eisley. She could feel the hustling, swindling and drunken minds of the cantina before she heard it. They rounded another corner and then the music hit her. There was no bouncer at the front door like at the Lexus, and it was by far the most disgusting smelling place she had ever been to in her life. Drunk patrons were passed out in benches, vomit on their clothes, while the more sober and sneakier ones easily took their credits. Rey shielded her mind and strode in as confidently as she could, the loud music from the band blaring. Heads turned when people began to notice the dark clad troopers. Rey knew that Tatooine was First Order territory, disputed over by the Hutts, but she had no idea if they were welcomed or not, despite the aid the small village has received when the Resistance kicked them out. She quickly spotted an empty booth and made her ways towards it, troopers and Wookiee in tow. She motioned for Trig to sit, and he slid in, and she followed suit, facing the door. Zero and Chewbacca sat across from them while Daks stayed standing, facing the crowd, blaster in hand. Rey scanned the room until she found what she was looking for - the telltale armor and red insignia of Mandalorian death dealers. 

“There,” she nodded towards the Death Dealers. 

The troopers discreetly looked at the small group of warriors. There were six of them, standing at the bar, two with Twi’Lek girls under their arms, the others leaning on the bar. Most of them had their helmets off, obviously just enjoying a night out. Rey reached out with her mind and gently brushed against their consciences. Kylo had been right when he said they were not weak of mind. Still, Rey played, targeting the most drunk of the group, and flashing a picture of herself, at her table, needing their services. The drunken man looked around, and then spotted her, and watched her. Rey discreetly watched him from behind the mask and hood. He didn't look too unlike Jacen. He had a short haircut, blonde hair standing out from his black armor and a masculine face. The others had black hair, also cropped short, and Rey suppressed a shiver at the likeness of her troopers to these mercenaries. 

“They will be coming over. Don't say a word unless I prompt you. You will know when I want you to speak. Chewie, will you stand guard at it bar,” Rey commanded, and was pleasantly surprised when the Wookie nodded his head and slipped out from the booth, bowcaster in hand.

A group of three Mandalorians began their way through the crowd, all helmeted. Rey just kept looking forward, leaned back against the bench, gloved fingers drumming the table. They moved closer, and she waved at Daks to step aside. The tallest dealer slid in next to Zero, and the other two stayed standing. Rey got a once over by the Mandalorian, no doubt trying to see through the shadow that covered her mask. He looked down, and Rey felt a tick of surprise at the fact that she had breasts and was a woman. 

“Got a clue that you might be needing some service, m’Lady,” the dealer said through his mask, accent strong. 

“Indeed,” Rey answered, voice disguised by the mod in the mask. 

She felt another prick of surprise from the Mandalorian across from her. 

“Our prices aren't cheap,” he continued again, and Rey sank bank into Kylo's memories. This was one of them, one of his attackers. 

“Credits are no problem,” Rey rebutted, and continued. “My problem is on Coruscant. He's a First Order officer, or maybe a spice dealer,” she began again, waiting for the Mandalorian’s reaction, and Maker did she get one. She felt his heart skip a beat, and then the curiosity and fear. So this  _ was _ one of the dealers from Coruscant. 

“What would be his name, m’Lady?” the Mandalorian played it cool, but she knew the two others standing up had heard, and their armor was squeaking with all their fidgeting. 

Rey sent a small mental warning to her troopers to be prepared, hoping they got it, and then she spoke up, loud enough for the entire group to easily hear. 

“His name was Kylo Ren,” she said, and she saw the sword swinging at her from the corner of her eye, she ducked and kicked the Mandalorian closest to her so she could be free of the booth. Zero had already snapped the neck of the tall dealer, and the others from across the bar had noticed the fighting. Rey quickly dodged hits from the widest of the Mandalorians as Daks and Trig zeroed in one the now converging group. The Mandalorians were skilled, almost nearly as skilled as her troopers, but then Rey noticed four more sets of armor running through the door at them. They were suddenly very outmatched. She continued hand to hand with the Mandalorian she had been fighting, not wanting to take out the cross blade saber, not just yet. His electroblades hissed and hummed, and yet she kept her ground, weaponless. Chewbacca intercepted the group of four coming at them and distracted them, but he was by far outmatched. Rey reached through the force and stopped her opponent’s heart and watched as he sagged to the floor. The patrons of t bar had all moved away, and she saw holopad put, recording the fight. Let them, Rey thought to herself as she dropped her hood and gasps filled the room, followed by screams.

Rey ignited her saber, red and volatile, it's power and darkness coursing through her. She easily cut through the dealers that had Zero pinned down, and then the one that Trig was fighting. She heard a yelp as a blade sliced through Daks’ armor, kissing his skin, blood trickling, and she quickly dispatched that Mandalorian, the heat from the red saber warming her hand. The four that Chewie had intercepted stopped and faced her, their arrangements of weapons humming. Rey advanced quickly, taking on all four. Her Battle Meditation was in full force, nobody else mattered except her enemies. They circled around her like predators, ready to pounce, but Rey wanted to let this play out, long enough for them to know who they were dealing with. The first two who advanced on her were played with. She toyed and toyed, parrying and blocking, never once breaking a sweat. Once s say their movements begin toyed slow and the fear begin to trickle down their spine, that's when she put him out of their misery. The next two were just as easy, and Rey cut down one, leaving the other. She froze him where he stood, and pushed her mind against his. 

He fought back, hard, but no harder than Kylo, and Rey pushed her probe deeper, further, until the walls around his mind broke. His fear and hatred hit her first, and then his acknowledgement that she was far superior in the power over minds. Rey pushed harder looking for anything that had to do with Kylo, and then she stopped. It was a memory of a lifeless man, a head full of perfect black hair, a small goatee and a constellation of freckles, strapped to an air bed being loaded onto a Mandalorian cruiser. Rey pushed harder, but that was all she got. This man never boarded the cruiser. 

Rey pushed away from his mind, leaving one image, one of his home world destroyed. 

“Go, go tell your people. Tell your people of the mistake you made of finding Kylo Ren,” she told him, using the force to drive the words into his mind. 

She released him and he collapsed. 

“The girl. The girl that was with him. You..” was all he said before she threw him from the cantina and out the door. 

She flicked the saber off, and the cantina was quiet. Most people had left, fearing the mask and saber of the infamous Kylo Ren, others stayed, curious, Holopads out, recording her. Rey turned her head over her shoulder to look at the crowd huddled on the other side of the cantina, and then stalked out.

.

.

.

.

Rey kept her hood off as she stalked through the streets of Mos Eisley, people quickly moving out of her way. Her troopers were obediently behind her, followed by the Wookie. She needed space, and space is what they gave her. The image of Kylo being taken from the base, lifeless and still kept replaying in her head, over and over. She didn't know why Leia didn't cremate him or bury his body. The Mandalorians had nothing to do with him, therefore shouldn't have been given access to his remains. Rey fumed about it until she reached her shuttle and stopped short. There was a familiar dark masked figure leaning against the open ramp. He had a foot propped on the wall behind him, arms crossed. The matte black helmet didn't reflect any light as he slowly shook his head. 

“I had to go the squadron leader and tell him I'd handle it personally. He wanted to arrest you for, what was it? Disturbing the peace, reckless endangerment, vandalism, assault, and think there were a couple more,” Jacen said, counting on his fingers. 

“But I convinced him that the life of him and his men were far more important than the jail time of someone who would be out as soon as they were in. You know you can't just go ripping apart cantinas in First Order controlled airspace. There are laws and rules on these planets, little one,” he continued, but Rey stepped past him and onto her shuttle. 

“And the whole Kylo mask and saber thing, I'm going to admit it was pretty hot, in a weird kind of way, but Maker did you scare the piss out of a lot of people. You are much shorter than him, but I guess it could work, the legend of Kylo Ren lives on. You know if he were here-”

“But he's not,” Rey interrupted. 

“As I was saying, if he were here he'd be pretty pleased if I do say so myself. The whole revenge-is-needed-to-maintain-honor-and-glory thing is totally something he'd do. Plus he liked lopping the heads off his enemies. You know, if I just dropped you off on the Resistance base, this entire war would be over and done with within an hour. Hmm.. what a wonderful idea,” Jacen said, fingers drumming his masked chin. 

He followed her into the shuttle where she took off the mask and laid it down. She stroked it's cheek before turning towards him. 

“I wouldn’t have let that last one live, now all the others will know you’re coming,” he continued.

“If you're going to continue to chastise me like a child, do you mind doing it while we are in lightspeed? I don't want to stick around much longer,” Rey hissed at him. 

Mock shock went across Jacen as his hand splayed against his chest. 

“I would never! Go about your business Rey, but remember, the First Order planets DO have laws. I don't want to have to find you again, m’Lady,” he said, walking up to her and wrapping her in a hug. 

“First Knight,” Rey mumbled, painfully. 

He handed her a comm, and wrapped her fingers around it. 

“I'll be around,” he said, before nodding at her troopers. “Bucketheads.”

.

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.

 

Rey was out of Tatooine airspace, the images of Kylo running through her head when Chewie asked her where to next. 

“I guess we just wait for our next lead,” Rey answered, leaning back in her chair. She scrolled as quickly as she can for the nearest planet with Death Dealers activity and the planet of Corellia popped up.

“Do you know anything of Corellia?” she asked Chewie. “I only know I like their apples and their rum,” she laughed, memories of Kylo and that damn apple playing through her head. 

Chewie grumbled and her ears perked. Kylo had never told her anything about his father being from Corellia. 

“Is that where you two met, on Corellia?”

Rey was entranced as they entered lightspeed, coordinates in place. 

A story of how a young Imperial pilot saved the life of a Wookie who then owed him a life debt. 

“I can't believe he didn't like you until you saved his life,” Rey laughed, “I liked you immediately.” 

Chewie roared and shook her leg, continuing in his weird Wookie laugh. 

The flight to Corellia was short enough, and Rey let Chewie land in Coronet City. Trig had patched Zero up nicely and slapped a bacta patch on his wound. She would need all three of her boys for where they were going. There was one bar in particular that the Mandalorians were scouting, and Rey wanted to be there as the night life started. It shocked her how much Corellia was like Coruscant, just much cleaner, with actual jungles of wood and plants, not durasteel and speeders. Rey walkedto Kylo’s mask before they dropped the ramp, and the donned it, hood over her head, a shadow covering the formidable face. They stepped out and Rey looked around her in circle, and watching the giant Holovids on the buildings replaying news clips, and her heart stopped when she saw the shaky film of her fighting the Mandalorians on Tatooine. 

“Word travels fast,” Rey said out loud, and heard the  _ tsk tsk  _ that came from Chewie. 

“No, you're not allowed to be a Jacen right now. That's the last thing I need. I told you I was going to be doing dirty work and you came, so follow me or go hang out with him on the Finalizer,” Rey snapped, and immediately felt guilty at the look on Chewie's face. 

“I'm sorry-” she started but he waved her off. 

Rey stormed down the street in her own little cloud of self loathing until she reached the bar she was looking for. There were two bouncers up front, two very big Besalisks. Rey walked up to them past the line. They held their arms out, blocking her. 

She looked up at them and opened her mind, letting the force flow through. 

“You will let my crew and myself through without any trouble,” she said, waving her hand in front of their faces. 

The two large beings looked at each other and then back down and her, and she had to contain her joy when they swung the doors open for her little group. Rey was immediately reminded of the Lexus when the door opened, all pounding music and sweaty dancers. She strode to the farthest table, swiping a drink from the server droid, not caring what was in it. It's not like she was going to drink it anyways, she had the mask on. All the dancers were too focused on themselves to really notice her and her followers in the dark as they all slid into the booth, all but Chewie and Daks. Daks stood at the table and Chewbacca took his place at the bar. Rey watched as through the door came eight Death Dealers, all visibly scanning the room. One spoke into his wrist comm and four more entered.

_ They must've upped their numbers when they heard about Tatooine _ , Rey thought to herself. Nevertheless, they had information that she wanted. 

They must not have noticed her because they continued their way to the bar. Rey brushed against their sober minds, discreetly as she could, with no way in as there was on Tatooine. 

“Guys, we're going to have to improvise on this,” Rey stated, before she stood up and walked towards the bar. She held her hand behind her to let Trig know to wait for the signal. 

“Move, you walking carpet,” she shoved the Wookie out of the way to get to the bar. 

Chewie growled at her, but played along nonetheless. 

“I'm sure there aren't anymore monkeys in this bar for you to play with,” Rey hissed, before she turned towards the bartender, holding out two fingers. 

“Rum,” Rey told the bot. 

“Excuse me, is this Wookie bothering you,” a masked voice said beside her. 

“Not anymore,” she said, holding one of her glasses. 

“Can I ask what the hood’s for, m’Lady?” the Mandalorian asked. 

“What the helmet for?” she asked back, not about to be phased. 

“Protection, I guess,” he shrugged before leaning closer, “plus the ladies love it.” 

“Is that so?” she crooned through the mod in the mask. She knew it distorted her voice, so clearly the Mandalorian should have heard it by now. Rey rolled her eyes at the thought of the dealer bagging whatever female he could find.

“What brings someone like you to a bar like this?” he asked. 

“Good Ole fashioned revenge,” Rey said, swirling her drink in the glass. 

She heard the release of the Mandalorian’s helmet as he slipped it off, black locks shaking about. He had piercing blue eyes, ones Rey couldn't look away from. They were so much like Jacen’s, and yet, in the back of her mind, Rey recognized them from somewhere else. And his voice. She silently confirmed that he had been in the Coruscant gang. 

“Well that is a skill I am quite adept in. Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked, lips slightly pouting, trying his best to woo her.

“Actually, there might be,” she said, standing back and pulling down her hood. 

The man gasped and stumbled back, flailing for his blaster on his leg. Rey picked him up with the force and threw him at his friends who were knocked to the ground. The crossblade saber was hailed to her hand and she ignited it. It took a few seconds for the ecstasy filled patrons to realize what was going on, and once they did, Rey winced at the amount of screeching and yelling. 

Her clones advanced upon the other Mandalorians, as she ripped information out of their heads, uncaring of their pain.  She only got glimpses of Kylo on some, most were just mere rumors passed around the groups, of the defeated attack dog of the First Order, and then of his reappearance on Tatooine. She got the best information she had found yet, out of one of them, that news hadn't yet reached the charter in Bespin, too cut off from the rest, with the atmosphere not so kind to their transmissions. The thought of Bespin took Rey to a memory of her own, of a card found in the deserts of a floating city with the words “Wish you were here” scribed on it. Rey pulled herself from the memory before she was lost. The fight was over pretty quickly, and that's when Rey heard the sound of the control bots. Tall droids armed with blasters, stun guns, pepper spray and cuffs. They walked through the doors, a dozen or so filing in, commanding everyone to stand down. Rey hated messing with droids, it was worse than hurting people. Droids had no control over what they were programmed to do, and Rey felt that they were manipulated and innocent. Rey reached out with the force and short circuited their movement and propulsion systems, then she stalked out of the door, group in tow, saber back on her belt. 

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Bespin was unlike anything she had ever seen, a large gas planet, yet inhabited in the Cloud City, many miles in the air. Rey let Chewbacca lead, and he told her to leave the mask which she did reluctantly. 

As soon as they stepped from the shuttle, Chewie was pushing past them to their surprising welcoming committee. Chewie picked up a dark skinned man, skin like Finn’s, but with graying hair. 

“Chewie, my boy! How is everything?” the man almost shouted. 

Chewie grumbled something and the man shook his head, patting the Wookie. 

“I know my friend, word about someone like Han Solo travels fast. I heard from Tokadona. And who is this pretty thing?!” the man did shout this time. 

“I'm Rey, these are my troopers,” Rey introduced herself, unsure on if she should use her new last name or not. 

“Nice to meet ya, Rey. Name’s Lando Calrissian, I run this little town,” he grinned, turning and waving his hand at the giant building behind him. 

“And welcome to my humble abode.”

Rey was amazed as they strode along the walkway to Lando’s home. It was the biggest house she had ever seen. 

“Who lives here?” Rey asked, captivated. 

“Oh, just my wife, son, and two daughters and I, and a couple servants,” Lando stated blankly, and Rey wondered if he even knew how big his own home was. Stepping through the doors made Rey want to turn around immediately. His home was too clean, too perfect, and she felt like an intrusion, dirty and dusty and splattered with blood. The walked through an obvious living space, empty of people, and began a trek down the halls. 

“Now, I don't know what brings you to my Cloud City, but I can only hope you find what you're looking for. Until then, any friend of Han Solo and Chewie is a friend of mine. You are welcome in this home, and I will take you to your rooms,” Lando said, not turning to look at their reactions. 

Rey was taken aback by his generosity. 

_ What a great man Han must have been, to earn such great friends _ , Rey thought. 

“Thank you, Mister Calrissian, but I am pleased to say that we will be finished with our business on Bespin fairly quickly, and will no longer be a burden on you,” Rey said, looking around the white walls and the windows looking out over planet. 

“Lando,” the dark man corrected. “Call me Lando. And you can stay as long as you like. We don't get too many visitors on the friendly side, and I'm quite curious about these dark armored Stormtroopers,” Lando continued. 

Rey heard a stumble behind her from where Zero had been surprised at the lowly title of Stormtroopers. 

“They are not Stormtroopers nor are they First Order soldiers. They are my personal guard,” Rey corrected, and Lando bowed his head slightly. He stopped in front of a door. 

“For you, Lady Rey,” he said, pushing the door open. 

Rey stepped in, flooded with emotions she couldn't control. The entire room was the size of the living space in the Coruscant house, a door leading to a fresher in one corner, but it was the bed that had Rey concerned. She had not slept in a bed since the death of Kylo Ren, and she hasn't slept alone in nearly a year. Trig must've heard her shaky breathing, because he stepped in closer, his hulking mass a comfort as his armor brushed against her back. 

“Thank you, Lando, your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten,” Rey said, turning to look at the man. 

“Your guards each have a room in this hallway, the first one is a door away and so on. You get settled, I'll have your belongings brought from the shuttle,” Lando stated, head tilted ever so slightly. 

_ The mask _ , Rey panicked. 

“No! I mean, I can gather my own things, no need to have someone do it for me,” Rey said, a little too quickly. 

“As you wish,” Lando said, before stepping away from the door. “Explore as you please, dinner is at 1900, I'll have a servant fetch you wherever you are,” he continued before turning away and walking with Chewie. 

Rey went towards the door and went back the way they came, through the halls and living space and out to the dock where her shuttle was parked. She climbed the ramp and scooped up the black and chrome helmet, and brought it to the sleeping area in the side of the shuttle. She found a bag under a bunk, and open the drawers until she found her clothes, one drawer below Kylo's. She put the helmet on the bottom and packed a couple pairs of clothes around it. She looked around, trying to figure out what to do about her troopers. She knew Kylo must've stocked extra gear for them somewhere. She felt out with the force, looking for hidden panels, and then found what she was looking for. Down the little hall between the four bunks was the hidden panel. She pressed against it and two drawers popped out. She grabbed a change of clothes for each man and turned back to Kylo's drawer. She pulled out the tight fitting tees and three pairs of sleep pants. She pulled another tee out for herself. She turned around again and headed out of the shuttle, Trig waiting at the bottom. She walked back into her new room, Zero and Daks standing outside the door, and pulled out a clean tunic and pants, ones not covered in Mandalorian blood splatters. Trig had stationed himself inside the door, ever the guardsman, and she looked over at the fresher door. She moved towards it and watched as he started towards her. She shook her head and he went back to place.  Rey looked around the huge refresher, impressed, but it was nothing like home. The tile was white and blue, unlike her black tiles at home, and the tub was smaller. The shower was adequate though, and she turned the water on as she undressed. Rey stepped under the hot stream and let the water flow over her. Rey had not allowed herself to cry since she pressed the button on her pendant, but now she couldn't hold back the tears that easily blended with the water of the shower. She looked down as dust and dirt filled water ran down the drain, and began scrubbing the blood from her arms and face. She didn't know how long she stood under the hot jets, just remembering the heat of Kylo's body next to hers, but she got out anyways, skin red as a Corellian apple. The towels that were provided were fluffy and light blue, and quickly soaked up the water from her hair and body. She reached up a grabbed her little padawan braid in her hair, rolling it between her fingers. She had considered undoing it multiple times in her stay with Kylo but could never bring herself to do it. It had stayed, as a memory of a past, of who she used to want to be. She had been an apprentice to Kylo, and he was once Jedi, so deep inside she believed herself still padawan. She sighed and released the tiny braid and looked back into the mirror.  She put her hair in a braid and began pulling on dry clothes, clipping Kylo's saber to her belt. She gathered her dirty laundry and stepped out of the fresher to find Trig. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

 

Rey was a vision of perfection as she stepped from the fresher, black leggings and black tunic. Her long brown hair was in a braid, her freckled face was red from the hot shower. He knew why Lord Ren had loved her so dearly. It was a shame what had happened to him. From what he had witnessed, the dark knight was not a bad man, in fact he was a great man, and a great leader. The two force users had taken good care of him and his brothers, and Trig was grateful. He felt no lust towards the young woman, no matter how beautiful she was, yet he didn't know if it was the programming or his respect for her and her lost lover. He watched as Rey went to the bag that she stashed under the bed a pulled out a pair of the black pants and shirt that they wore under their armor. 

“Go,” she commanded him, nodding towards the fresher, shoving the clothes in his arms. “I'll give Daks and Zero theirs. I'll be fine, I have my staff and the crossblade,” she promised, and Trig knew she would be okay. 

“Thank you, Lady Rey,” he said tipping his head, turning towards the fresher, but was stopped by a hand on his armor. 

“Please stop calling me that. I am Rey,” the lithe woman said again. 

“Yes.. Rey,” Trig stammered, not used to the informality. He only ever called his brothers by their names, not Lord Ren, Lord Jacen, but now Rey

He showered quickly, after his armor was stacked neatly, not wanting Rey to be left alone for too long. Her safety was his number one concern, and he didn't know if it was his programming or if he was truly worried about the small woman. She had proved herself in battle time and time again, earning her an honorary place among the Deathtroopers. She was deadly and accurate in battle, and vicious to say the least. She was cunning and smart when it came to the Mandalorian gangs. Trig couldn't imagine her being anything less than a Knight of Ren. Trig stepped out and dried himself, shaking out his dark hair. He was due for a haircut, the ends of his hair touching the tips of his ears. He ran his hands upwards in it, spiking it forward so it wouldn't bother him so much. His clothes were the same they always were, tight but not restricting. The shirt stretched across his chest that was larger than his brothers’. He took perfect care of himself, making sure he was in top condition to protect the lady knight just in the other room. He looked at his armor and thought against it. He strapped his blaster to his thigh and wrapped his comm band around his wrist. If Rey and the Wookie thought that this Lando Calrissian was a friend, then there was no need for such extremes, besides, he could do just as good a job without the armor.

He stepped out, heart hammering in his chest as he didn't immediately see Rey. It would be his luck that Lord Ren would rise from the dead just to severe his head from his body for losing her. Reanimation had to be part of their magical skill set. He shut the fresher door and his heart went back down to its normal tempo as he found her. She was sitting in the far corner of the room, legs crossed, face lax. Trig just stood where he was and watched. She didn't meditate often around them, but when she did, it was the only time she seemed at peace after losing  _ him.  _ Finally Rey began to stir, and she opened one eye to look at him. 

“Why can't I get into your head, Trig?” she questioned, and Trig stood silently contemplating his answer. 

“I haven't a clue. We were taught when we were younger to block out all intrusions. It was.. a hard lesson. I no longer have control over it, but I'm sure it has something to do with the implant,” Trig shrugged. 

“What implant?” Rey perked up, even more curious now. 

“This one,” Trig answered, stroking the implant in the back of neck, a small grain just under the skin. 

Rey leapt up and strode over to him, and reached up. Trig straightened, unsure of what she was doing, and the young woman stopped. 

“May I?” she asked, hands stopped in mid air, almost to his face. 

“Of course,” Trig said quickly, scolding himself and ducking his head down further for the short woman. Her slender fingers caressed the back of his neck, until she found it. She rubbed it with her index finger, and Trig knew she was even more curious now. 

“Interesting,” Rey whispered, before jerking her hands back and placing then at her side. 

“Thank you,” she said, and Trig watched as her ears and cheeks turned pink. 

“Anytime,” he whispered back. 

He looked down at his comm link on his wrist, the time blinking at him. 

“It's 1850, m’Lady,” he said, straightening up. 

Her face jerked towards him, “What was that?” she barked. 

“It's 1850,” he repeated. 

“No, after that, what did you call me?” she pressed, stepping closer to him.

“m’Lady?” Trig was all too confused at was going on. 

“Don't. Please don't  _ ever _ call me that again. The Death Dealers..” she trailed off, and Trig’s advanced intelligence caught on, and he felt like kicking himself. 

“I'm sorry L-” 

“No, no more Lady Rey or Ren, remember?” she reminded him, and he watched her slightly shiver. 

“Are you alright.. Rey?” Trig asked, suddenly worried about his commander. 

“Yes it's fine. I just don't ever want to associate you with  _ them _ . Even if it's something as small as a title you call me. They.. they ruined my life, and I never want to think of you like that,” she said looking up at him, and for the second time since she lost Kylo Ren, Trig stood as Rey hugged him tightly. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and his hand held the back of her head as he brought her closer. 

His heart froze as the door was opened, revealing a very stunned Wookie and Zero, armorless, blaster on his leg, large knife at his waist. He watched as Zero blinked once, twice, three times and then caught his eye. His brother glared at him, and Trig knew exactly what he was thinking. Rey pulled her face back slowly, as if she hugged all her clones this way, eyes red, and looked at her friend and trooper at the door.

“Dinner?” she asked, wiping her face. 

Trig stayed where he was, unabashed and not willing to stand down as his brother kept his glare at him. He would not back down, not after something as innocent as a hug. Zero had witnessed the first hug that Rey had given him, and now this one. He kept eye contact with his subordinate until Rey passed him and Zero followed her into the hallway. Chewie turned with him, and Trig jogged out of the room, shutting the door behind him, and walked quickly to get to his place beside Rey. Daks had joined the group, all smiles as always, and walked beside Zero whose face was blank and empty of emotion. A servant girl was leading the group, and they followed her to a big dining room, a large table filled with food in front of them.

“Come, sit,” Lando said, waving at the table. 

There was an older woman and two younger women standing with him. The older woman, his wife had curly hair and shockingly green eyes and big smile on her face, and the two younger girls eyes the troopers suspiciously. They were beautiful, all dark skin and green eyes, like their mother, and their hair in curls around their shoulders. They were the same height, and looked the same. Clones, was the first thing that came to Trig’s mind, but then he pushed the idea way. Normal people weren't cloned, they were twins. Rey sat next to the older woman, and Chewie was to her right. The troopers stood at the door, arms crossed in front of them. 

Rey looked up at him, a question on her face, and Lando spoke again, “Please, sit. There is no danger here,” he promised, and the Wookie growled.

“That was one time, Chewie,” the dark man said to back to him. 

Trig held eye contact with Rey until she motioned with her head to the table. Trig walked around to sit in front of her, to the left of the twins. Daks moved to sit next to him, and Zero stood by the door. 

“Sit. Now,” Rey commanded, voice raised at the standing trooper. He quietly took his seat as Lando’s eyebrows raised. 

“This is Tendra, my wife, and our beautiful girls, Leandra and Chel,” Lando introduced his daughters from nearest himself to furthest, Chel sitting closest to Trig. “I apologize for the absence of my son. Maker only knows what he is off doing in his new cloud car,” Lando continued.

Both girls gave them all huge smiles, and Tendra began to speak, “ It's an honor to have you here, Rey, Chewbacca-” she stopped when she didn't know the clones’ names. 

“Trig, Daks, Zero,” Rey introduced them how they were sitting, and the girls’ perked up. 

“Your mother named you Zero?” Leandra piped.

“Are you triplets?” asked Chel, before anyone had any time to process the first question. 

Trig almost choked on nothing when they asked, and Rey looked up at him, sorrow in her eyes. 

“No, not exactly, girls,” Rey started, clearly unsure of how to go about this.

“We're clones,” Daks spoke out, innocently and proud. 

Trig suppressed a wince. Zero glared at their brother. 

“Clones? As in like, you were made? Like, from the  _ Clone  _ Wars?” Leandra asked. 

“ _ Leandra,”  _ Tendra corrected, smacking the table with her hand, making Rey jump, and Trig grasp his blaster from under the table, holster already undone. 

“Ladies, please calm down,” Lando spoke, his tone softer than usual. 

“It's fine,” Trig finally spoke. “Yes, we were made. We are clones, we look exactly the same but that is where our similarities stop. We are brothers, but not triplets. We each have our own personalities, our own emotions,” he said, trying to educate the two girls. 

“That's so cool,” the girls said in unison again, and Trig watched as Rey relaxed. 

Trig kept his hand on his blaster, and watched and listened as the girls giggled and whispered to themselves, looking past Trig to his other brothers. 

“Let us eat,” Tendra said, and Lando quickly got to work on his meal, followed by the Wookie. 

Trig watched Rey until she too began eating, and he and his brothers followed. 

.

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.

 

“Please, stay,” Rey begged before she could stop herself. 

The dark haired man stopped where he was, a couple feet from the door and looked back at her. Rey's heart beat sped up, unsure of how to go about what she wanted to say, or why she really stopped the man in the first place. 

“I mean.. it's just,” Rey tried to explain as Trig began walking towards her. 

“That you haven't slept since. That you can't close your eyes without feeling, or seeing him,” Trig whispered from the side of her bed where she was sitting. 

She ducked her head.

“How-” Trig cut her off again, “I may not be force sensitive, but Lord Ren had created us to be smart, perceptive, and observative. I am not just a clone, Rey. I am your guardian, your.. friend,” Trig stammered.

“Thank you, Trig. You have done so much for me, and Ben, I could never explain what you mean to me,” Rey choked, surprised at the new status of what this little relationship was. It was friendship, pure and simple. 

She felt no lust or want for Trig, she valued him as a friend and as a person, much more so than even Finn, her first friend. Rey pulled the blankets up over her body, warm in the embrace of the luxuries linens. She was wearing her leggings that she wore to dinner, deeming it inappropriate to be pants less around Trig, and she had on one of Kylo's tees. Trig was holding a pair of sleep pants and a tee in his hands and Rey nodded towards the refresher. He jogged to the door and shut it, and Rey waited as he quickly changed and came back out. Rey looked up to see a shirtless hulk in front of her, blaster in hand. Her ears burned and she blushed. She had only ever seen Jacen and Kylo without shirts. 

“I'm sorry, Rey, the shirt, it's too small, I didn't want to rip it,” he said, looking down.

“No, it's fine, I'm glad you didn't rip it, thank you Trig. You can just set it on the floor, I will get it in the morning,” she stated. 

Of course the shirt would have been too small, Trig was a bulky type of muscular compared to Kylo's more lean muscle mass. Trig was built for brute force, no doubt in a gym, while Kylo had been fighting his entire life. The pants fit him well, as he and Kylo were the same height. He stood at the foot of the bed, and Rey looked around. There were no sofas for him to take and there was no way she would ever make him sleep on the floor. She looked at the empty space next to her on the huge bed. She could be spread completely out, arms all over, and still wouldn't be able the touch the heaping bulk of a man. She patted the bed, and smiled. 

“No, Rey. I will take the floor,” he said, shaking his head, and Rey winced. 

“No, Trig you are not. You are my friend and you can share the bed. We are just sleeping, that is all,” Rey commanded. 

Trig walked directly to the other side and set the blaster on the bedside table. He sat gingerly on the bed, before pulling his legs up and under the blankets. He smiled at her before leaning against the wall. Rey nodded and turned her back to him, pulling the blankets over her shoulder. The minutes ticked on as Rey stared into the dark room, waiting for sleep to come. She listened to the steady breathing of the man next to her, clearly staying awake until she fell asleep. 

_ He must be exhausted _ , Rey thought to herself, guilt trickling in. 

  
Rey forced her mind to quiet, forced her body to be at peace, if just for the sake of the man sitting next to her, and finally she drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeaaaaahhhh, so.. I warned. We got a little clone input on the story, and I will contine to type in our beloved Trig's POV. He just freshens everything up with his loyal puppy brain, and not to mention complex personality.
> 
> My bff just came back from college until January, so we might not get another update till then, but you never know, y'all might get a CXhristmas surprise. ;) 
> 
> I love all of you, keep that writer's fuel coming, I don't care if you open a comment thread and keep commenting. I need critics if this fic is ever to become better, or I am going to continue on with the series.
> 
> Tata lovelies.


	15. Burn the Galaxy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a little late, I'm so sorry. It's a short one, but it's a good one.

Trig’s eyes opened slowly to an unfamiliar noise and his heart jolted. He could see Rey's brown hair splayed across his chest, and in fear of waking her he slowed his breathing back down. She was huddled in a small ball under the thick blankets, head resting on his stomach. His hand was on her waist, almost taking up the elite length of her torso. He heard it again, a small whimper. It was coming from Rey. 

“I need you,” she whispered, feet kicking in her sleep.

Trig had no doubt that she was dreaming of Lord Ren. He circled his thumb on the flesh of her back, and she stilled. Trig continued the calming motion on her skin until her breathing evened out and he was positive she was back into a dreamless sleep. Trig leaned forwards and wrapped his arms gently around her and brought her higher up in the bed, so her head was resting on his shoulder and he could examine her face, analyzing every freckle and sun spot. One of her hands rested on his chest while the arm she was on top of wrapped around her and his hand was once again stroking circles in her skin. Her face was so calm, so at peace, with all her loss, quite like it was during her meditation. Trig reached out and stroked her face with his other hand, and saw the time on his wrist comm. They had many hours before it was appropriate to be awake, but he was not going to get any more sleep. He glanced over at his blaster, still sitting on the bedside table. He thought about cleaning it, and then shook his head. It wasn't worth the wrath of a tired Rey discovering him up so early cleaning his weapon. At least that was something he and the clones had learned before Lord Ren was executed. He vowed to never wake the small woman unless it was absolutely necessary, and it seemed his brothers had done the same, since it was well past 1030 when a small knock came on the door. 

Rey wriggled where she was, in the same position Trig had left her in, and moaned. It was a gaudy noise, but it still made Trig’s heart skip three beats and his ears turn red. There was another small knock and this time when no one answered, it opened, revealing Zero and Daks, blasters out. By the look on Zero’s face, Trig wasn't quite sure if he was even going to make it out Rey's alive.

“Whaaat…?” Rey dragged the word out, childishly. 

“Lady Rey, when you didn't answer, we thought something had happened to you, and when Trig wasn't in his room, we-” Daks started but Zero cut him off.

“We thought the worst,” he sneered, glaring at Trig. 

Rey lifted her head and realization seemed to finally dawn on her. 

“Oh, Trig. Yes, he was helping me sleep last night,” Rey said, stretching her limbs and yawning. 

“I'm sure he did,” Zero hissed, only loud enough for Daks and Trig to hear. Daks stared into the back of Zero’s head, astonished at his boldness, while Trig’s eyes narrowed on him. 

“KR-5100, hallway,  _ now _ ,” Trig growled, gently moving Rey and throwing the blankets off. 

He picked up his blaster and tucked into the back of his tight sleep pants,  _ his _ tight sleep pants. As soon as Zero had stepped into the hallway he turned on him, pinning him on the wall with his forearms. Zero’s feet dangled off the floor by a few inches, and Trig pressed harder against his chest and neck. 

“If you have something to say, then say it now, soldier,” he barked.

“I've seen the way you've been with her, ever since he died. You've wormed your way into her little heart haven't you? You were waiting for the right moment to bed her and you got one, just so happens that Lord Ren is dead and now she has no one else to love her, so you stepped up, somehow, thinking she could actually love someone like us,  _ clones. _ I hope she was a nice fuck, sargeant,” Zero spat, as the anger welled up inside Trig with every word. 

He heard Rey move from the bed, no doubt from the mention of  _ his _ name, but he would not let her distract him, and he lifted Zero away from the wall and smashed him back into it, all the air from Zero’s lungs rushing out in an  _ umph _ .  

“You overstep your bounds, trooper! You'd be flogged at base for this! Not once did I touch our commander in an inappropriate manner, nor will I ever! It is not your place to question, even if I  _ did _ happen to bed her, soldier. You will show respect around Lady Rey and around our guests, or I will have you sent back to home world on the first shuttle I find and make sure you're put on janitor duty until you're no longer in commision, is that clear?!” Trig finished, face red, heart pounding. Oh how badly he wanted to hit Zero. He wanted to dent the durasteel wall with his little clone head and perfect haircut. 

“Yes, sir,” Zero choked, and Trig let him slump to the floor before storming back into Rey's room and calling out for them to put their armor on.

“That was quite the show,” Rey said, following him, “thanks for sticking up for me, but I could have done it myself,” she continued.

“I'm well aware, but Zero would never question your command, he's programmed not to. But mine, not so much. Sometimes soldiers need to be reminded why they follow their commanders, and Zero needed that reminder. He's like a child, I swear. I took one Twi’Lek girl from him on Coruscant, and now he thinks I want to bed every female I see. Daks, on the other hand, would blindly follow me anywhere, he's so trusting,” Trig tried to explain. 

“Oh,” was the only answer he got from Rey as she moved to sit on the bed. The bedroom door was still opened, so she closed it with the force, Daks and Zero no longer standing guard outside. 

“I guess you'll be wanting to find the Death Dealers today, right?” he asked as 1718 n Fanciful Place Unit B walked to the bathroom to start pulling on his armor. 

He watched as Rey nodded, swirling her hair on her finger, staring through him, focused on another world. He turned away, focused on the complicated black plating of his armor. The heavy armor was like a second skin, and it was very helpful. It protected him from the blast of the percussion grenade on Tatooine, when Lord Ren was injured and deflected blaster bolts and electricity. He traced his hand over the black pauldron lined with red, displaying his rank among his soldiers. The little cut out of material that he wears on his shoulder every day, the tattered and torn piece of him was the only thing that was keeping Zero in check. Trig shook his head, clearing it out of all his distractions. He would deal with Zero privately if need be, but there was another task at hand. By the time Trig had donned his armor, Rey was already packed and dressed in her typical dark tunic and leggings, black boots, and the ever present long robe.

“Lando wants us to join him for breakfast in a couple minutes,” Rey warned him, “every one of you had better be on your best behavior,” she said loud enough for the other two to hear. They must've put their armor on much faster.

“Yes, ma'am,” they all said in unison. 

.

.

.

.

Rey walked down the hallways that she knew led the large dining hall in Lando’s little floating castle, followed by her troopers. Chewie had already left to meet up for breakfast, leaving Rey to witness the little scene between Trig and Zero. She never wanted her beloved clones to fight, especially not over her. Everything with Trig was innocent and completely platonic, she would never sleep with the clone. She didn't think she would sleep with  _ anybody _ . Kylo was her one and only, and she could and would go without sex for him. Perhaps in another life, if she never met Kylo, but in this life, Trig's just a friend, and he seemed happy with that. 

Rey rounded the corner into the dining room and stopped. Trig almost walked right into her after her sudden halt, but she was completely taken aback. Sitting next to Tendra was Finn, or at least the closest resemblance to Finn anyone could get. 

“I thought..” Rey started, heart and emotions running rapant. 

“Rey, dear, this is our son, Titus. He wasn't able to join us for dinner last night, and he apologizes,” Tendra said, poking Titus. 

“My apologies, Lady Rey. Had I known our guest was this beautiful, I would have brought myself about much earlier,” Titus said, eyes sparkling under his long lashes, moving from Rey to her armored clones and back again. 

His head slammed forward as his mother smacked the back of it. 

“Boy-” she started but Rey cut her off, “No it's fine, a little flattery never killed anyone, did it?”

Rey moved over to sit by Chewie on the opposite side of the table of Titus, just to keep her clones from having a conniption. The girls were on the other side of the Wookie, and his entire right side was in small intricate braids, but he didn't seem to mind. Rey smiled at the girls’ innocence. They weren't but a few years younger than her, and they were braiding the hair of a creature that could easily rip their arms off. 

The clones set their helmets on the wall behind them and sat down, Trig next to Rey, Zero next to Titus, and Daks on the end across from Trig. Rey's stomach made small gurgling noises at the sight and smell of all the good food. Chewie and the family had already begun eating, so Rey reached over for the sweet rolls first and put one of them on her and then Trig’s plate. He did not question her choice of breakfast food. Rey had been spoiled by Kylo on Coruscant and doubted the clones had had a breakfast this good. The Corellian apples caught her eye next, and she did the same thing that she did with the sweet roll, one for her and one for Trig. She continued this until their plates were full and she finally began eating. The sweet roll was delicious and soft. The gooey inside melted in her mouth and Rey had to stop herself from moaning quite inappropriately at the table. Then it was the tiny meat sandwiches and the flat cakes, smothered in Apple syrup. Rey left the Corellian Apple for last, twirling it in her hands, fingers wiping across its smooth skin. She glanced up, the hairs on her neck bristling, and found Titus staring. He unabashedly smiled at her and continued to stare as he ate. The hairs on the back of her neck continued to stand, and she moved her thigh ever so slightly to brush against Trig’s. She knew the hand closest to her was under the table for one reason, and that was because his blaster was resting on top of his thigh, pointed right at Titus under the table. She prided herself for seeing the little things like that, and how he had quickly un-holstered his blaster the night before when things got loud. She also noticed how soft she becoming. On Jakku, she got comfort from nobody and nothing except the fact that the sun would set in the evening and rise the next day just to set again. Being around people has made her needy. Now she  _ needs _ comfort,  _ needs  _ contact. She craves it. Just the small contact of Trig’s leg had the gooseflesh and hairs settling. Rey knew she was safe, her use of the force and mastery of her staff would prove that, but there was an added touch of security with her clones, especially with Trig. Rey was pulled back into the present by the large hand resting on her knee, blaster in hand, pointed at Titus still. She looked back down at the Apple and took a bite, her teeth sinking into the crisp flesh, juices running down her chin. She quickly wiped her face with the sleeve of the cloak, thinking of ways to take the first bite of an apple without getting juices everywhere. 

“Whats with the stormtrooper armor?” Titus spoke, breaking the silence in the room. 

Rey felt Trig freeze beside her, and she pressed her leg harder into his. 

“They're not Stormtroopers,” Rey said calmly, looking up from her apple. 

“They're Deathtroopers,” she deadpanned, looking Titus dead in the eye. 

Rey felt Lando freeze at the across the table, and Titus’ eyes grow wide. 

“They are clones under my command, as are their army of clone brothers,” she continued, satisfied in the fear rolling off of Titus.

“The Empire had Deathtroopers. Black armor, long blasters. They were merciless and formidable,” Lando spoke. 

“Yes, that what B- my friend had said, but I assure you, they have no affiliation with the Empire of old or the First Order,” Rey reassured him, and the tension in the room dropped. 

The girls continued to sneak looks over at Daks and Zero, and Titus has shifted his weight closer to his mother and away from Daks, his attention now shifted to Trig. She didn't know if she was relieved to be out from under his gaze, or worried about his distrust in her clones. 

“So do you guys have special weapons? Or some kind of special training? What makes you  _ Death _ troopers?” Titus asked again, but this time Trig continued eating normally. 

“They have advanced weapons and flight training as well as hand to hand combat training. Their armor and blasters are state of the art, manufactured on their home world. They are genetically modified to be bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. They are elite soldiers who make the Stormtroopers look like toddlers,” Rey boasted, so very proud of her soldiers. 

Titus just nodded, and watched her. 

“And Mandalorian Death Dealers? How would they handle them?” this time it was Rey who froze, and she caught the eye of Zero, one hand under the table, surely on his blaster. 

“What do you know of Death Dealers?” she calmly asked, rocking back in her chair. 

Titus shrugged and copied her slouch. 

“Just curiosity, I guess. We have a group over at City’s Edge, all suspicious like,” he lied. Rey felt his uneasiness and lies through the Force. 

“These three would be sufficient to take down a large group of Death Dealers,” Rey pushed, and reached with her mind, stroking the edges of Titus’ conscience. 

He seemed satisfied with her answer and continued to eat. Rey had finished her breakfast well before anyone else, the girls going back for seconds and all the boys going back for thirds and fourths. Rey sat quietly though, basking in the domestic feeling of the large gathering, all sharing a table and food. This is what Kylo was missing, though she wouldn't be here if it weren't for his execution and the Mandalorian involvement in it. Rey's mind continually travelled to Titus and his not so coincidental mention of the Death Dealers and his interest in her clones. 

“How come transmissions can't come and go easily on Bespin?” Rey asked to no one in particular. 

“Sometimes it's the atmosphere, other times we get bad electromagnetic storms that fry all transmissions,” Titus answered quickly. 

“No on has been able to get a message in or out for about a week, and won't be able to for a couple more days,” he continued. 

Rey just nodded her head and continued to build her plan. 

“If it's okay with you, we'd like to stay until evening, and then we will depart. We have much business to attend to,” Rey spoke to Lando. 

“Oh but won't you stay longer?” Chel whined, looking over at Zero and Daks.

“Yes, won't you stay?” Titus said, forcing Rey to make eye contact. 

“You may go, or stay as long as you wish. As I said, a friend of Han and Chewie is a friend of mine, Deathtroopers or not,” Lando said, glass of water in hand. 

“Thank you,” Rey said, nodding her head slightly, knowing they would not stay. 

Breakfast was over quickly after that, and Rey let Lando and his family leave first before she got up and lead her clones out. They carried their helmets, as there was no use in wearing them inside, it would only intimidate their hosts. They all filed into Rey's room as Chewie kept walking, off to do his own thing. Rey closed the door behind them, and swept the room with the Force, looking for bugs. It never hurt to be careful.

“We will stay till dinner, and then we must go. I want to get to the bar before it gets too crowded, just like Corellia. I want to be there before the Dealers. I don't think they heard we were coming, unless someone flew here personally, but we're going to do this as if they know. I don't know how Titus is involved, but I have a bad feeling. We're going to try to avoid him getting in the crossfire. Got it?” she asked, meeting all three pairs of eyes.

She was answered by nods, so she turned and went out the door. 

“Let's see just how big this place is,” she whispered to herself. 

 

.

.

.

.

It took an hour for Rey to fully give herself a tour of Lando’s house, avoiding private bedrooms and offices. She went through the shop where a new cloud car was parked, and three others surrounded it, one stripped for its parts. Her and the troopers ended up in the entertainment room with Leandra and Chel. Rey caught up on her Twi'Lek docudrama on the sofa in front of the Holovid, Trig on a small bean filled chair on the floor in front of her, his head leaning against her legs that were folded up next to her body. Daks and Zero were talking with the Calrissian girls, and Rey made a point of ignoring them. They'd never reveal what they were here for or why they were made and by whom, but Rey wanted to miss all the over exaggerations of where they had been and the battles they've seen. Rey had no idea what they were used for before she met them on Kamino, but she was sure that her first mission was also their first real mission. Undoubtedly they had killed before, Rey knew that from Kylo, a little piece she picked from his head, but she never went far enough into the memory to taint her views on her men.

She didn't realize she had dozed off until she was plunged into a dream. She was on the Finalizer bridge, but it was empty, even of Hux and Phasma. It was cold, oh so cold. Her skin gathered gooseflesh and her breath came out in puffs of white. She looked around her, and out the duraglass windows into space. It was empty, not a single star was visible. Suddenly the Finalizer flipped, and Rey went flying towards a wall, only to land on her feet again on the Resistance base. She looked around her, and noticed the pool of blood on the ground between two posts. She walked over to it, and put a hand to her mouth, trying to choke down the bile. She knew that was Kylo’s blood. The world turned again and she was plunged into blackness, the cold numbing her fingers and toes, her arms tingling. There was nothing but cold, she couldn't even see her frosty breath, and then she was an wake, one of Trig's big hands on her face, his eyes filled with worry. Rey just shook her head and closed her eyes again, suddenly very tired, the ghost of the cold making her skin tingle. 

“Rey, was that another nightmare?” Trig asked, and her eyes flew open. 

 

How had he known of the nightmares that kept her awake, stealing every ounce of peaceful sleep since Kylo had died?

She kept watching him, her big clone, worry filling his eyes. 

“Yes,” she admitted, watching his eye for a reaction.  There wasn't one. She noticed her other clones and the girl's watching their interaction, and looked back at him.

“Do you wish to talk about it?” he asked again, the same genuine worry in his voice. 

“Maybe some other time,” she said, flicking her eyes at the two Calrissian girls. 

Trig nodded, “Some other time.”

Rey looked around the room for a chronometer, unaware of the time, then she saw the flash of numbers on Trig’s commlink on his wrist. She pulled his hand towards her, and read the numbers, 1503. She leaned her body back against the couch, and let her head roll back. She was anxious to get to the Mandalorians, and anxious to get off the floating city in the sky. She went back over the dream of Kylo, every image fresh in her mind. She had never been so cold in a dream before, it was as if it was real. She had even woken up cold. Rey just pushed it to the side, into the compartment of her brain where she put things to meditate over. She looked back at Trig and smiled, and leaned forward to place a kiss on his warm forehead. She made sure her lips just barely pressed against his skin before she pulled back. He smiled back at her, and took her hand, raising it to his lips and kissed it. 

“I'm here for you, always,” he promised. 

 

.

.

.

.

 

Trig watched as Rey pulled out her card deck, and began practicing Sabaac by herself. When he asked where she learned to play, she told him many things could be won on Jakku, if you could play the cards right. 

Lunch had been uneventful, and Titus had not been in, neither had Lando. Trig had watched and listened all day as the Calrissian girls started to fall for Zero and Daks, but he felt no remorse at t thought of them leaving Cloud City. The girls were young, they'd find other boys, and the clones were just that, clones, and we're programmed soldiers, not meant to be lovers, boyfriends, or husbands. Trig looked around the living room that they had all congregated back into, and watched Rey begin meditation.  He didn't know how long he sat watching, in his own form of peace, but many programs had come and gone on the Holovid, and the group of clones and girls in the corner had played multiple rounds of Dejarik. A small twitch on Rey's face caught his attention, and then another. Her eyes didn't open, but he could see them moving beneath her soft eyelids. He inched closer towards her, ready to wake her, then she was quiet again. Her face curved into a frown, her brows furrowed, the way she looked when she was locked in fight with Lord Jacen or Lord Ren on Coruscant. Her breath quickened, and he ached to reach out to her. A single tear leaked from an eye, and he had to hold himself back. Whatever she was seeing, or doing, she had to fight herself, for now. Trig reached his hand out to her, unsure if he should shake her back to reality, when more tears streaked down her face. He moved closer, and then her eyes snapped open, his hand inches from her face, and he went sailing across the room, pushed by some powerful force in the chest, all air rushing from his lungs. He landed on the couch, and ended up flipping it over. He laid on his back, trying to regain his breath, and he saw his brothers from the corner of his eyed, blasters drawn, unsure of who to shoot. He looked up again as Rey flung herself over the couch, and crashed beside him on her knees. He didn't flinch as she grabbed his face. 

“Are you okay?” she sobbed, her other hand passing through his hair. 

Trig continued to force air into his burning lungs, a sharp pain in his side. 

“Rib,” he gasped out, and watched as a look of horror spread across Rey's face.

She looked at his hand and pressed a hand to it, and pulled it back away. His eyes never left her face, but he knew her hand was covered in blood. His blood. Scenarios were playing through his head of what possible injuries he may have. A compound fracture of the rib, protruding from his skin, maybe even a punctured lung. He kept breathing, but he felt an unwelcome heaviness in his chest. He couldn't get enough air in. So he was right about the collapsed lung. He pulled at his armor, trying to pry it off, and Rey understood. 

“Help me,” she ordered, and the other clones rushed to her aide. 

“I'll go get mom,” Chel shouted before rushing from the room.

Trig coughed, and he winced, tasting the metallic blood in his mouth. 

“Rey,” he choked and she saw the blood. 

“No, no, no, no. I can fix this,” Rey began to panic, and Trig watched her face drain of color.

He reached up and stroked her face, black spots forming in his vision from the lack of oxygen. He felt Rey's hands on his bare chest, unsure of how his armor had come off so quickly, or maybe he had blacked out. He watched her close her eyes and begin mumbling, her lips moving ever so slightly. His skin started to tingle, and then itch, and he suppressed a scream as he felt his shattered ribs move back into place. His breathing became easier, and his lungs stopped burning. 

_ How ironic _ , he thought to himself,  _ that Lord Ren suffered the same injury on Tatooine, at the hands of the Resistance, and Rey had told Kylo that he needed armor more like his own.  _

Once he could freely breath again, he glanced at Rey's face, so full of remorse and guilt. She did a once over of his now healed body, and pushed herself up. Trig hadn't noticed Leandra enter the room and she knelt down beside him to feel his ribs. 

“How-” she began, but Trig gently pushed her aside, and stood up, chasing after Rey. She had moved quickly from the room and into to the hall, and he saw her quickly receding figure. He started in a run after her, desperate to catch her. 

“Rey!” he shouted out. “Rey, stop running. Now!” he finally commanded, surprised at his own boldness. 

She slowed down, enough for him to catch her by the shoulder and yank her around to face him. 

“Let me go,” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “I never meant to hurt you, Trig. I didn't mean to. You weren't supposed to be hurt, not by me.”

Trig kept his grip on her and shook her gently. 

“Look at me! Am I okay now? Yes, I am. I shouldn't have surprised you during your meditation, it just looked like you were in pain. I don't hold this against you and I never will, Rey. It's not your fault,” Trig told her. 

Rey tried jerking her shoulder from his hold, but he wouldn't let her go. She looked down at her hands, sobbing. 

“It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to help me, teach me. I need a teacher, Trig, and now I have none. Luke was afraid of me, and Ben… he can do nothing for me now. All the other known Force users have been rounded up and added to the Knights of Ren, or were killed, and none of them are as strong as me. And now I've hurt you, my friend. I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm racing around the galaxy, hurting, no,  _ killing _ men that may or may not have any idea what happened to Kylo and I on Coruscant and where his body was taken. That's not something a Jedi would do. I always told Ben I would never turn to the darkside, but look at me! I'm murdering men, some of who had nothing to do with Ben's death, and I  _ enjoy  _ it. I  _ want  _ them to hurt. I need them to feel my pain. I need them to know what I felt when he died, I need them to feel the emptiness and the loneliness I now feel. I need their fear of  _ him _ , when I wear his mask and use his saber. I want them to know exactly who is killing them and why. I want them to know that the ghost of Kylo Ren is haunting them, just one step behind, and one tiny misstep means their death. Does that make me bad, Trig? Am I evil? Have I become the very thing that I was trying to destroy in Ben?” Rey stopped, choking on her words and tears. 

Trig didn't answer right away, thinking before he spoke, knowing she needed the truth, but nothing harsh. 

“I think you're hurting, and that you need an outlet. And that whatever storm is raging in that mind of yours, you feel it's just like the one that was in his. Blood needs blood, that was the way of Jakku, and it's also the way of the Knights. Fortunately for you, it's something the Mandalorians can understand, because it's also what they believe. No you have to kill them? No, but letting them stay alive puts all of us in danger. If you won't make the final blow, let it be me. Because I would walk off the edge of this city if you asked it of me, and I'd do it proudly. You are not weak, and you are not evil. Evil would be hunting down their families and killing them in their sleep. Evil would be finding a hungry Loth-cat and not feeding it. You are Rey, and you have been hurt so badly, that nothing short of burning the galaxy would quell that pain,” Trig explained. “And since Lord Ren can't, I plan on helping you do exactly that.” 

.

.

.

Rey didn't know what to say to the clone gripping her shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes. She had just spilled her dirtiest of secrets, and what he had said lifted every single weight off her shoulders. She was free from the burden, and he had freed her. She smiled at him and leaned up, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. 

“Thank you, Trig. You mean more to me than you'll ever know,” Rey told him, leaning into his embrace. 

“And you have no idea what I'd do for you, Lady Rey,” he said into her hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeaaaaahh, so keep reading please. We'll get to the good juicy stuff, and I'm just trying to get it all together. I promise revenge will be had and some special force powers get revealed. I was pretty upset by Carrie's death and didn't have the energy to write. Who's going to take care of Gary Fisher? The Force always has a reason though, let's just hope its a good one. Happy reading, let's hope for a good 2017.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a shorty, but a goody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKKKKAAAAAYY. I'M SO SORRY THIS IS LIKE 5 MONTHS OVER DUE.
> 
> I hope everyone can forgive me, some fucked up shit has been happening. My best friend crashed his airplane in early February and he was hospitalized for 6 weeks and then released, but he is currently with his parents in Nevada. I fly all the way down from Alaska every two weeks and stay for two weeks and come back to help care for him until he can come back up with me. We've also had some serious family problems involving attempted suicide and all kinds of fuckery. Thanks for being patient y'all.

Rey watched as Chewie held Lando in a firm embrace, her shoulder just barely brushing Trig’s armor. They were about to head to City’s Edge, the club that Titus had said the Death Dealers were hanging around. She had not seen the man that looked so much like Finn since the tense breakfast that morning. Chewie turned towards her and grasped her arm and released her as he walked by. Her and the troopers turned together and entered the shuttle.

 

They didn't even have to strap in, the bar was just a hop away from the mansion, at the edge of the city. Rey inspected the outside of the round building, as Chewie circled around it, the back half hanging precariously off the edge of the city’s base. Chewie landed on a secluded landing pad away from the others. Rey brushed her fingers against the chrome on Kylo's mask, picturing the face that belongs in it, all ears and nose and a pink scar and brown eyes that were deeper than the oceans of Ach-to. She looked up and found three helmeted faces looking back at her. She stared through the eye slots of Trig's helmet, and he gave the slightest of nods. This was it, this is what she needed; revenge, blood, answers. She quickly donned the scratched chrome and black helmet, breathing in his sweet scent. She took a large intake, and let it go as she pulled her hood over her head. She stroked the crossblade saber on her belt, and looked over at her saber staff leaning against the wall of the shuttle. It didn't even seem like hers anymore, like it had been years since she used it, let alone created it in the pad on Coruscant. She lifted her chin and strode out of the shuttle, her black clad troopers behind her, followed by Chewie. 

 

Rey took notice of the footfalls behind her, Trig's close to her and to the right and slightly behind, Daks’ energetic and alert movements, and Zero’s guarded steps, more to the left of her. She could sense his irritation at Trig, but it was quickly fading as they got closer to the bar. Relief flooded Rey. She needed her men to be focused, and Zero’s loyalty to her had overtaken his anger towards his brother. There wasn't a line at the door yet, but Rey could hear music inside. They were indeed early. The big male bouncer at the door just nodded at them as they stepped into the building.  The large room was dimly lit, and almost empty except for the day drinkers slumped at the bar and a group of laughing Togruta females at a booth. Rey eyed a table at the far end of the room, back against a wall on two side. She headed straight for it, her loyal followers behind her, Chewbacca headed for the bar. Rey didn't question the Wookiee’s drinking habits, and from what she could notice, he held his liquor well. It never occurred to her her how much a Wookiee could put down and still be functional. A lot more than her, or even Kylo for that matter. Rey let herself smile at the the thought of drinking rum around a table with Kylo and Jacen. 

 

She marched her way through, waving off serving druids and the Togruta waitress. Zero sat first, sliding against the wall, and Rey sat on the outside, facing the door and bar. 

 

“And now we wait,” she says though the mask, no longer surprised at the distortion.

 

Daks and Trig sat across from her, Trig on the outside. Chewie growled at her that he'd be at the bar, and she nodded. Who was she to tell someone who could rip her arms from her torso that he wasn't allowed to drink?

 

Rey sat and watched the club fill with all species for hours. Zero had traced every line in the table multiple times now, and she was pretty sure Daks was sleeping behind the black helmet. Rey’s interest peaked as she watched a familiar face appear in the doorway. Titus. She stayed still in her little dark corner, and pulled the hood of her cloak further down over her face. She saw the moment he recognized Chewbacca at the bar. First excitement, then confusion. She watched as he scanned the dancing crowd, most likely looking for her. She swallowed as she suddenly got nervous. She wanted to kick herself. She should have peed on the shuttle, because the urge hit her like a freighter. Rey scanned the club and located the bathroom door. It was on the opposite side of the dancing mob. Rey swallowed again. The last time someone in her group went into a bathroom in a club, her entire life was turned upside down. She shook her head slightly. No, this time she had nothing to lose. 

 

“I'll be right back. Keep your eyes open,” she told her men, and stood up. Titus was still at the edge of the crowd, so Rey went through the middle, in the mix of sweaty and drug filled bodies who cared less about personal space and more about how many body parts they could grind against their partners. Rey had to push and shove her way through, holding onto her hood to keep it from being pulled off, but she finally made it to the other side. She looked up and couldn't find Titus, but her soldiers were still sitting at the table, Trig looking directly at her. She nodded and walked into the bathroom, not looking away from him. She bumped into someone and turned to apologize, when she saw Titus’s face. She ducked her head back down and moved around him. 

 

“I thought you were leaving Bespin?” Titus asked, but she kept silent.

 

Best to play dumb and pretend she wasn't Rey than to have him hear her voice mod. She walked into a stall and locked it behind her. She could see his feet where she originally bumped into him. Rey wasn't comfortable peeing in front of him, but she couldn't hold it any second longer. 

 

“Rey. I know it's you. I saw your  _ Death _ troopers. And Chewie. You can't play dumb with me. I know who you are. I'm the one who filters transmissions. I caught the ones from the Deathdealers on Tatooine and Coruscant.  I know you and your troopers are the ones going around taking them out. Why?”

 

Rey’s heart stopped. He didn't say anything about Kylo. Do the dealers know they're here? She stayed silent as she finished and walked out, sonic cleaning her hands. She made to leave but was grabbed by Titus.

 

“You will drop the subject. I am not Rey,” she told him.

 

Rey swiped her hand out and pushed him into the wall with the force and continued on her way. She walked out of the bathroom and saw the Mandalorians at the bar, six of them. She nodded at Trig who was watching and walked towards the bar. She stood next to a smaller dealer on the edge of the group. 

 

He turned to look at her, helmet off. He was young, possibly younger than Rey, but not by much. Rey felt the crossblade saber, safe on her hip, surging with dark energy. 

 

“Name’s Sovan,” he said, and Rey just nodded. 

 

“Don't talk much, huh?”

 

“No, she doesn't,” Trig said from the other side of her, helmet off. 

 

Rey’s heart started pounding. His helmet was not supposed to be off. 

 

“Is that so? You her boyfriend or something?” Sovan asked.

 

“Or something,” Trig answered.

 

“Perfect. Then I bet you wouldn't mind if I took her back to my place. I bet she's real pretty under that hood, if her face is anything like her body,” Sovan said,  reaching for Rey’s hood. 

 

Everything happened so fast that it overwhelmed Rey and she froze. She hadn't froze since she was attacked on Jakku when she nine years old. Before she could blink, Sovan was on the ground, Trig pinning him by his throat with a knee. The other Mandalorians had their blasters out, pointed directly at Trig, but her troopers were already there, pointing right back at the dealers. They were highly outnumbered and outgunned. 

 

“No one! I mean, no one, touches her,” Trig growled at the pinned Mandalorian. 

 

“He will not make the mistake again,” a much older Mandalorian spoke. He had grayed hair, and a scar bisected his cheek like lightning. 

 

“He already made it,” Trig spit out, blaster pressed against Sovan’s skull so hard, he was beginning to make an indentation. 

 

“He is but a child. It was a child's mistake. He hasn't hit his 20th year. I guarantee I will deal with him personally,” the older man said.

 

Rey raised her hand with the force, pulled all their weapons from their grasp. She pulled down her hood, and look up at them. 

 

“No need,” her voice cracked through the mask. 

 

Her insides lit on fire when she saw the look of fear on her enemy's faces. 

 

“You're…” one of them started, but the leader waved him off. 

 

“You are not Kylo Ren.  You may be a force user, but you are no man. I've been witness to his fury and wrath. He's a good foot taller than you, and much larger. So tell me, force user, how did you come by his helmet?” The leader asked. 

 

Rey balked. She had no idea this older Mandalorian knew so much about Kylo. 

 

“That's my business, Death Dealer,” she hissed back. 

 

“So then. What do you want? My son meant no harm. He is innocent,” he continued. 

 

“Is he?” Rey asked, reaching out towards the young Mandalorian, and ripped through his memories. 

 

The young man screamed and his father moved towards him, but Zero and his long blaster stood in the way. 

 

Rey was surprised at what she saw. Titus. Titus had built himself an amplifier to get better signal for comms coming into the city. People paid him under the table for messages, and that included Sovan. He knew that they were coming, her in her dark cloak, red saber and dark troopers. That's why Titus was so curious about the Deathtroopers and Death Dealers. Rey withdrew from Sovan’s mind. 

 

“So you know why I am on Bespin,” she said to the Mandalorian.

 

“Yes. Sovan had received a comm this morning. We know all about the lady lover of Kylo Ren. I can assure you though, we were not involved. We have been here, on Bespin, for months,” he told Rey, and she knew he spoke the truth. 

 

Rey nudged Trig’s leg and he let Sovan up. The man stood, rubbing his throat, gasping for air and coughing. 

 

“I could have treated you better than that First Order dog could ever, you bitch,” he coughed out, and before Rey could react, Sovan was dead on the floor, a pool of blood flowing from his head, Trig’s blaster smoking. 

 

Everything moved faster than she could imagine, the Mandalorian closest to Zero trying to pull his blaster from his grasp, Daks in hand to hand with another, and Trig had grabbed her by the waist and tossed her over the bar and began shooting. The members of the club began screaming and heading out of the door. Rey shook her head and stood up, igniting the crossblade saber. As she cut through Mandalorians and deflected blaster fire, she quickly sifted through minds for any trace of Kylo, but none were there. The fight was over quickly. She flicked the saber off, and clipped it back to her belt. She looked at her three troopers, and then scanned the club for Chewie. He was exactly where he was earlier, sipping a drink at the far side of the bar. 

 

Rey looked at the blood shed around her and was terrified. Not of the blood or the fact they just killed 12 men who had nothing to do with Kylo, or the fact that Trig put a bolt through someone's brains, but terrified because she felt nothing. 

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I deleted this chapter and re edited it. So please re read. Not a lot changed, but important shit did happen.

Rey and her group were making their way back to Coruscant when her comm beeped, revealing a message from her new First Knight. 

 

_ Rey you are to report back to the Finalizer immediately _

 

_ -Jacen Ren _

 

Rey felt a knot form in her stomach at the thought of facing Kylo’s best friend, but knew that what Jacen says is final as her commander. If it were any other knight,  she'd tell them to meet her at the pad on Coruscant and make her go, but she had far too much respect for Jacen to do that to him.

 

“Chewie, plot a course for the Finalizer. It's current location should be programmed in already,” she called up to the cockpit, getting a roar in return.  

 

She shed her gear and made her way to the bunks where her troopers were already sleeping.  She glanced at Zero and Daks who were in the far bunks,  steadily snoring,  before she pulled off her over shirt and kicked her boots and leggings off. Trig was in the bunk above hers,  and she knew there was no way for her to crawl herself up there and sleep next to the large man.  She sunk into her bunk and pulled the blankets past her shoulders. Her eyes closed and she felt a warmth on her face, and then it trailed down to her hand.  She peeked out and saw Trig’s large hand on top of hers, his arm hanging from the bunk above her. Sleep came quickly, and it stayed this time. 

 

.

.

.

 

Rey jolted awake, and slammed her head back down into her pillow, a sharp pain on her forehead. Ears ringing, she opened her eyes to see Chewie laughing and Trig’s very concerned and yet highly amused face. 

 

“Gave you quite a fright now, didn't we?” he asked, holding back the laughter.

 

Rey rubbed her head, shifting her glare from him to the bottom of the bunk above her 

 

“Surprised you didn't dent the durasteel,” he added, holding a hand out. 

 

Rey smacked his hand away and stood from her bunk. 

 

“We're almost to the Finalizer. We figured you'd want to be awake and ready,” Trig told her, looking from her to Chewbacca and back again. 

 

“Yes, yes, yes,” she grumbled, and leaned down to put her leggings back on, hopping on one foot.

 

“Chewie yelled from the cockpit but you didn't wake up. So he tried it again a bit closer. We didn't mean to make you jump so high,” Trig explained but Rey waved him off, no explanation needed. 

 

She looked at the tall Wookie.

 

“You're actually a wanted fugitive of the the First Order for helping to blow up Starkiller,”

she informed him, and he nodded. 

 

“But if you stay with me or on my shuttle, they won't mess with you. General Hux isn't going to try to arrest you, that is a fact I'm sure of. The Knights follow Jacen and Jacen wants nothing to do with you, so again, it shouldn't be a big deal. If I were you, I'd just shoot anyone who gave you a questioning look,” Rey shrugged and the Wookie chuckled. 

 

The lights flickered as the shuttle was caught by the tractor beam of the Finalizer and she could hear Zero stating their clearance codes. Rey quickly pulled her boots and tunic on and pulled her hair into a neater braid. She found her cloak and pulled it over herself. Kylo’s saber was clipped to her hip as she slung her own over her back. His mask was tucked into a corner on the table. She looked around as her troopers clicked their helmets into place and picked up their blasters. Rey walked over to Daks and straightened an arm plate, ignoring the dried and flaked blood. 

 

She held her troopers to a much higher standard than the First Order Stormtroopers and wanted to make a good impression when they walked out of the shuttle. 

 

There was a small quake as the shuttle landed, and Rey slammed her fist into the ramp control. There was a hiss as the shuttle depressurized and steam flowed out of the vents. Rey strolled down the ramp, fists clenched at her sides, followed by her men, blasters in hands, Trig’s long rifle an intimidating sight.  

 

She was met by Jacen, Hux about 10 strides behind him. She barely got a small bow and salute out to Jacen when words started flying from Hux. 

 

“Do you know what you've done to the image of the First Order?! Going around like a madman, hacking and slashing and killing Mandalorians and terrorizing club patrons on some of the most powerful planets in this galaxy! Not just that, but by wearing the mask of Kylo Ren and using his saber, you've undermined the entire Order-”

 

“I do not support the First Order, nor do I fight for it,” Rey interrupted. “My fight was personal. You should have thought about the image of the First Order when you killed billions on the Hosnian system. So no,  _ Hux,  _ I do not know what I've done for the image of the First Order, nor do I care,” she said, leaving the red haired man speechless. 

 

She turned to Jacen.

 

“First Knight,” she said, nodding. 

 

He smiled his big smile at her and began walking  away from the shuttle. She couldn't help but notice the stares of officers and even stormtroopers under their helmets as her blood caked, black armored troopers strolled confidently behind her. She followed behind him, knowing where he was headed in the winding and twisting halls and lifts of the Finalizer. When the lift finally stopped and the doors opened, Rey closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar scents of sweat and blood and anger and pain of the halls to the training rooms and living quarters of the Knights of Ren. She opened her eyes and the dark and gloomy halls welcomed her. She strolled past Jacen and entered the hall, making her way to the largest training room. The door opened to her and she looked around at the Knights training around the room and her gaze locked on the far wall. Her body took over and pulled her to the wall of weapons and her fingers stroked the electro staff on the wall, painful memories flashing in front of her eyes. She smiled. This electro staff was the weapon that opened her bond to Kylo. She had kissed the scar on his shoulder many times. 

 

She walked back to Jacen who was watching her. She couldn't see past Trig’s helmet to see the look on his face, but it was nowhere near as pained as the look on Jacen’s.

 

“I miss him too, you know. I don't know if I can keep all my Knights in check by myself. They're like toddlers. I have a new respect for what he did, especially starting at such an early age,” Jacen said, looking up at her. 

 

Rey smiled.

 

“If anyone can do it, it's you. You're Jacen Ren. The infamous Kylo Ren’s best friend and second in command. Who can compete with that?”

 

“You,” Jacen said back quickly, sincerity in his face. “No one expected you. You were like a freighter crashing in here at light speed. No one could make him yield the way you did. This is your job, not mine,” he sighed. 

 

“Oh, no, no, no.  _ You _ were second in command. I already have my own soldiers to lead, my own tasks to complete,” Rey argued back.

 

“And that's what you are here about, Rey,” Jacen looked sideways at her. 

 

“You need to stop going out on raiding parties and fucking with the Death Dealers. The Mandalorians are the next powerful army in the galaxy. I don't want them as enemies, do you hear?” he asked looking down his nose at her. 

 

“Yes,” she said, looking away, “I was done anyways. I ran out of leads. Why did you call me hear, Jacen?”

 

“There were rumors spreading that you had run off, abandoned the Knights. I had to call you back just to show them you'd come. You can leave again, I just ask that you stay a bit, please, Rey. He was my best friend. And then you became part of the package. I feel… obligated to make sure you're safe, as safe as you can be at least,” he said sincerely.

 

Her heart hurt knowing the pain Jacen was going through, for he knew Kylo much longer than she had, even though it feels like she'd known him for a lifetime. It wasn't fair that he felt abandoned by her. 

 

“I will stay, but only for a couple days. I'll need room for my troopers though. And possibly a Wookie,” Rey whispered, looking up at him. 

 

Jacen chuckled and nodded. 

 

“I have plenty of rooms down here, and of course you have you're suite upstairs still in the officer's corridor,” Jacen reminded her.

 

She shook her head.

 

“No, I will stay with my troopers.”

 

Jacen didn't give her a second glance as he turned and waved for her to follow. 

 

They left the loud and busy training room and followed him deeper into Finalizer than she had been before. They passed multiple doors when he slowed in front of one. 

 

“This is my room, in case you need anything,” he said before continuing down the corridor. 

 

They finally stopped in front of a door. Jacen typed a code in and it slid open. 

 

“This one has two rooms,” he waved at the inside of the dark chambers before pointing at two other doors, “those one's are all singles. They're the only empty rooms I have left, so someone might be bunking on a sofa. I just reset all the pins, so whoever wants whichever room can just place their hands on the pads and it'll recalibrate to fingerprint, or they can put in another pin. But I have override codes,” he said, looking at her troopers. 

 

“There's a pad on the wall so you can call in service bots. I'll send for Chewbacca,” Jacen said, winking at Rey, before turning on his heel and strolling back down the other way. 

 

“Take rooms,” Rey ordered her men, and she heard two pairs of boots shuffle around her and heard two doors open.  

 

She knew which trooper would be next to her. She walked in and looked around.  The walls were just as dark as her living quarters in the Officer's Corridor, but something about this room felt different… unfamiliar and yet known to her. She walked around and found the bathroom and the two separate sleeping quarters. 

 

“Cozy,” Trig said from behind her. 

 

She never really thought about how they had never been to Kylo’s room higher up. She turned to the pad on the wall and ordered two meals and couple sets of clothes for the both of them. She could hear footsteps outside the door and waved it open to black armored bodies of Zero and Daks. They marched in and Daks picked a spot on the sofa, tossing his helmet into the far corner of the room while Zero stood alert by the door. Trig took his helmet off and placed it on the table. She heard the roars and whiny bellows of Chewie from down the hall, and reopened the door. A droid was leading him to her room, and it sounded like he was giving it his life story and grievances. 

 

“Leave that poor droid alone, Chewie. You're going to fry its processor with all your complaining. It can't change how it smells down here, that's just how it smells. No! We are NOT hacking into the air system,” Rey crossed her arms.

 

Sometimes it felt like she was taking care of children. A service bot followed up behind Chewie and she rolled her eyes. Who else was going to walk through the door? Before the bot got all the way through the door, a familiar face peeked in. 

 

“Azara!” Rey shouted, flinging her arms out, making Trig jump. 

 

“Lady Rey, I was just coming to welcome you back,” he said nervously, looking around at all the unfamiliar faces, wringing his hands together.

 

“Thank You! It is good to see you. How is training?” She asked. 

 

“Training is… training.. Lord Ren says I'm advancing quickly.”

 

It took Rey a couple seconds to comprehend that Azara was talking about Jacen. 

 

“Well good, that's great. I hope to join you for practice while I'm here,” she said to him, and he clasped his hands and shuffled out. 

 

“Little nervous for a knight's apprentice, ain't he?” Trig asked, eyebrows raised. 

 

“I guess. But he's a good fighter and he has perfect forms. Maybe he has a secret talent,” Rey shrugged. 

 

“Maybe,” Trig repeated, a hint of suspicion in his voice. 

 

The service bot hovered to the table and set down all its trays before heading back out the door. 

 

“One thing I can say about the Finalizer,” she said, opening a serving tray, “is they have good food.” 

 

She looked around at the four hungry faces and the two meals and opened the second second tray. She nodded to her men and snagged the item she was looking for. 

She ordered four more meals and went to sit down on the couch to wait for the bot, ruby red Correlian apple in hand. She turned it around and around. Her mouth was small compared to it and she the thought of unhinging her jaw to bite into it came into mind, but she shook the thought away. She found a smaller corner and sank her teeth into the crisp flesh, juice dribbling down her chin, an unwarranted moan escaping from her as the sweet taste washed away her woes. She opened her eyes to three others staring, Chewie busy cleaning the plates. Trig cleared his throat and the troopers turned their heads, Rey’s cheeks flushing red. She finished her apple by the time the service bot came back, four more serving trays with it. She snagged a tray as it zoomed by and it set the other three on the table. They'd have to fight over it, even though they already split two large meals. 

 

Rey looked at the contents of her tray. A grazer meat sandwich, one of her favorites. 

 

.

.

.

.

.

 

Trig watched as Lord Jacen and Rey fought in the center of the training room. He was sitting against the wall, bare back resting against the cool durasteel. Zero and Daks were cleaning their blasters, showing off their muscles to the female apprentices. 

 

Their few days on the Finalizer had been uneventful. They had stayed at the lower level of the giant star destroyer the entire time, and the infamous General Hux hadn't come to bother them once, something about broken teeth and black eyes. The Wookie kept to himself and talked to the service bots and tinkered with mechanics. 

 

Though their time there was fun, Trig was 

ready to be back on Coruscant. Rey hadn't slept since they arrived on the Finalizer, four days ago. He didn't know if it was the change in scenery, the nightmares, or the loud Wookie snoring in the room next to them. He could feel her laying awake most of the night, fighting sleep, and when it came, it was broken and troubled. 

 

He laid his head back on the durasteel and listened to the calming sounds of lightsaber striking darksaber. He could hear apprentices gossiping in one corner, and Knights murmuring to each other on the other side of the room. Trig opened his eyes when the room became silent. Jacen was standing over a crumpled form on the floor, still and lifeless. It took Trig’s brain seconds to process the dark hair and clothing and an ignited saber staff as Rey. He was on his feet and across the room before he could blink. Jacen was on his knees shaking Rey as Trig slid onto his knees and checked for a pulse. Not dead. 

 

Jacen was panicking, saying Rey’s name over and over, hyperventalating. 

 

“I was supposed to take care of her… He'd kill me… I don't know what happened…” Jacen stuttered. 

 

Trig shoved him to the side. “Get a kriffing grip!” He yelled at the First Knight. 

 

Jacen stopped talking and then his eyes widened. Trig didn't care if he was going to be punished for laying hands on and disrespecting his host. He only cared about what happened to Rey. He opened an eyelid to glazed over eyes, and her lips began twitching. 

 

Trig sat back and sighed in relief. 

 

“She's fine,” he breathed out. He had seen this before, when Rey was sleeping. She'd almost seizure and then be still. Sometimes they were nightmares, other times she'd calmly wake up on her own and then fall back to sleep. It had never happened while she was awake. He flicked off her lightsaber and tossed it to Zero who was in the quickly growing crowd along with Daks. Their blasters were fully assembled and ready, and they kept their eyes on the other Knights. 

 

Trig stood up and pulled Rey into her arms. 

 

“She's gonna be pissed when she wakes up and finds out she passed out in front of everyone,” Trig said to Jacen as he passed him. “Always has to be the strong one,” he shook his head. 

.

.

.

.

 

“We have to go to Tokadona,” Rey blurted out, sitting straight up. 

 

She looked around confused. 

 

“How did I get to the room? I was just fighting Jacen a second ago,” she asked Trig who was slouched in a chair across the bed, arms hanging off the arm rests, a small blaster in one hand, looking completely unamused, and equally exhausted. 

 

“You've been asleep for 14 hours, Rey,” he said, voice hoarse. 

 

“What…?” Rey questioned. 

 

“You collapsed while fighting Jacen in the training room. I carried you here. You've been sleeping for 14 hours,” Trig repeated, his voice cold and short. 

 

“Oh,” was all Rey could say. 

 

“Oh,” Trig repeated, seething. 

 

“What's wrong with you?” Rey asked, an eyebrow raised. 

 

“Maybe.. nothing. Nevermind,” Trig started. 

 

“Well? Maybe, what?” Rey pressed, and Trig stood up, looming over the bed, casting a shadow. 

 

“Maybe if you didn't push yourself so hard the past month hopping system to system searching for false leads, maybe then you would actually get some rest, and then you'd have the strength to move on so these nightmares stop,” Trig blurted out, and Rey flinched. 

 

“False leads…? Move.. on?” Rey stammered. 

 

“You want me to move on from the only person who showed me true compassion and friendship and love?” Rey asked, and Trig’s face dropped. 

 

“Maybe I'm not the correct clone for this assignment,” Trig said. “I request leave and reassignment.” 

 

Rey climbed out of bed and stood up. 

 

“Request denied, trooper,” she almost yelled. 

“I clearly do not show you enough compassion and friendship,” he hissed back, and Rey’s eyes widened, and she ran from the room in a moment of weakness, arms crossed, clutching herself. 

 

Reassignment? She asked herself. What had she done to him to make him act that way? Her closest friend? He was much closer to her than Finn, and even Jacen. Her trooper, her second in command, Commander Trig. She stopped in the dark hallway, no idea where she was. She looked around. She hasn't gone this far into the Knights level of the Finalizer. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She's felt this before. This was dark energy. 

 

Everything in her had told her to run. Still she didn't. She wandered down the hall to the point she felt it strongest. She pushed open two large, heavy doors, and stepped into a large atrium, a throne dwarfing her in the middle of the room. She had seen this before. She squinted her eyes, trying to remember exactly where. In nightmares, in memories. She ran her hand along one greasy wall as she made her way around the room. What kind of beast would need a throne that large? Surely none that could fit on the Finalizer. And then it hit Rey. Smoke. This was Snoke’s throne room. The one where Kylo had been tortured over and over. She went for her saber instinctively, only to pale when she realized it wasn't there. She could feel Kylo’s resting on her hip, and she reached for it, igniting the hissing, sparking, blade. Red light filled the room, crackling, unstable. 

 

“Ah,” a booming voice echoed in the room. 

 

A large hologram sputtered before the picture become whole, sitting in the throne. The beast was grotesque, scars bisecting and disfiguring his face, large, ancient eyes peering down at her. 

 

“And you must be my new Lady Ren who so comfortably wields the blade of my failed apprentice,” he crooned.  

 

A shiver went up Rey’s spine, but she refused to show fear, instead, she twirled her sparking saber, feet placed ready for a fight. 

 

“I will not hurt you child,” Smoke said before chuckling and plucking the saber from her grasp, sending it sputtering and spinning to the ground. 

 

Rey was not expecting a hologram to be able to use the force. Jacen and Kylo always talked about Snoke’s power, but also about how weak he was growing. 

 

“A surprise, Kylo Ren, has gifted me with, a knight as powerful with the Force as you. It's a shame he let his compassion and the light become his weakness.”

 

The words stung Rey. Of course she had been the death of Kylo. He loved her too much. More than the dark side, more than power. 

 

Rey felt a presence brush across her mind that sent red flags and and immediately threw her walls up, locking herself away from Snoke. He seemed pleased. 

 

“Good. Gooood,” he sneered. “It is good to fear me. You are not ready to meet me. Go, Lady Ren. Grow powerful, and surely you will bring order to the galaxy at my side.”

 

And like that, the hologram was gone, and Rey was on her knees, gasping for breath, because she hadn't taken a single breath while Snoke was in the room. She hailed the spitting and sputtering saber to her hand and sprinted out the room, crashing out of the door, and into a pair of strong, familiar arms. 

 

“Rey?” Trig asked. “Are you okay? What happened?”

 

“I have no idea, but it wasn't good,” Rey gasped, comforted by those two strong arms.

 

“You can't leave me.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“So am I, Rey. I never wish to be reassigned. I was just.. worried. And angry.”

 

“I know. Please never let that happen again,” she laughed as she pried herself from his arms.

 

“How do you feel?” He asked.

 

“I feel like we need to go to Tokadona,” she said back in a breath


	18. Chapter 18

Chewie wasn't too happy when Rey broke the news to him that they were headed back to Tokadona. Rey thought Maz scared the giant beast. Her goodbye with Jacen was quick but not painless. It hurt her every time she had to see him go, so much like Kylo, but so different. Her vision when she passed out was confusing, and troubling, and only Maz Kanata could help her with it. 

Tokadona wasn't too far away, and the ride was only rough as they passed through the debris that was left over from the Hosnian system. She let Chewie take over once they reached Tokadona airspace, because he knew exactly where Maz’s castle was. Rey watched the green and blue blur past them, still in awe at how much green this planet had. Chewie found a place to land, and Rey got up to talk to her troopers. 

“The person we're about to see is a little… weird, but she knows more than anyone I know. Do not cause a scene. There are a lot of Resistance supporters, and a lot of First Order supporters. If they ask, ignore them or say you're neutral. There is no way to tell who they support, or if they'll attack. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Lady Rey,” they said in unison, but then Trig stepped up, “and Lady Rey, we are not troopers of the First Order. We are pledged to you and only you. We support who you support, fight who you fight.”

Rey reached out and laid a hand on Trig’s armored chest and smiled up at the familiar helmet. “Yes, thank you Trig. I didn't know if you would call me a First Order sympathizer or Resistance supporter. I am neither. I  am for and of the Knights of Ren.”

 

Rey flipped her hood over her head, covering her face in shadow, leaving Kylo’s mask, and made her way off the ramp in into the warm muggy air of Tokadona. 

 

Chewie called to her where he was, still on the shuttle, growling and muttering. She laughed out loud at him, a beast of his size, afraid of Maz Kanata. 

 

“Fine Chewie, you can guard the shuttle,” she laughed and waved. 

 

Rey looked across the rubble that still laid on the ground and into the woods. It was the first place she met Kylo as a masked monster, hunting her in the trees. 

 

“Oh,” Rey began again, “don't stare,” she warned. 

  
  


Rey shrugged the goose bumps away and walked towards the point where she felt the most activity coming from. She remembered Maz’s extravagant castle, covered in the banners and flags of multiple groups. Now the first thing Rey saw was ruins. It looked like a lot of the debris had been moved and piled up, and there was a smaller stone bunker in place of Maz’s castle. It was still covered in flags, but there was one that caught her eye more than the others. The red Mandalorian symbol on a black flag. The death dealers. Trig walked close beside Rey, long blaster at the ready, a few steps back from her, Zero and Daks side by side behind them. They walked down the stairs and into the partially underground bunker, cantina music flowing lively out of the open door. The group stepped inside, but not unnoticed. The music stopped, and every person and creature inside turned around to have a look at the cloaked warrior, a saberstaff in her hand, and the three troopers that looked very similar to storm troopers, just bigger and darker.

 

“REY OF JAKKU,” Maz yelled, just as she had yelled at Han the last time Rey was here. Rey stopped on her way to a back table, the yell holding her in her tracks. Music began playing again as the cantina patron greeted the small group.

 

She turned and was met by the large eyes of Maz Kanata.

 

“Hi Maz,” Rey said, letting Maz take her hand.

 

“Where is my boyfriend?”.Maz asked and Rey chuckled, answering, “He's guarding the ship. How did you know it was me?”

 

“Child, do not think I wouldn't recognize you because of your dark cloak and black armored men. Come, come, sit, sit, and tell Maz all of what has happened since those beasts took you from here,” Maz said, dragging her towards the empty table. 

 

Rey took the chair that was against the wall, facing the door, Maz took one beside her, and Zero took another. Trig and Daks stood, facing the other customers of Maz’s little cantina. 

 

Rey kept her hood up, her face cloaked, as Maz waved food over to their table. Rey recognized the fruit she had last time she was here and loved so much and grabbed it, biting into it. She hadn't eaten since she left the Finalizer. Maz let her eat, and sat patiently. Rey gestured at the food for Zero to eat, but he stared at her through his helmet, as if he was shocked she'd ask him to remove his helmet in such a public place. 

 

“Fine,” Rey said, grabbing the small sandwich that was closest to him. “More for me.”

 

When Rey was finally full and rehydrated, she turned towards Maz. “I don't think there's anything I could tell you that you don't already know.”

 

“I may be old, child, but I'm still full of surprises. You might be able to tell me something, like why it is that you do not feel like you anymore. You are mixed, mixed with the signature of one known as Ben Solo,” Maz said, eyeing Rey through the darkness of her hood, whispering the forbidden name. “But there is something else. More anger. More than he had even as a child. The Dark Side is a powerful force, dear. Once you have a taste, it's very hard to go back. I can feel it flowing through you, around you. You have embraced it's powers, I know you have. I have felt this amount of power once before. So tell me, child, how have you come to know the powers that you so tried to deny when you found Luke's lightsaber in my basement?”

  
  


“After he took me from here, he held me captive on Starkiller,” Rey started, knowing this was the first time her troopers would hear the story. “During the interrogation, he did something, opened a part of our minds that had been shut off. He fused them together. Not on purpose. He had no idea that I was force sensitive, and neither did I. We created a bond through the Force. It's how I defeated him on Starkiller. He was weak, and I used his power and his memories to defeat him. We had become one. And then we were separated for months, but he was still there, in my head. I left Luke for my own reasons, after he taught me some of the Light, and Ben tracked me down. I accepted his offer of teaching me the ways of the Force, something that Luke was treading lightly upon. I accepted at first, because I planned to use my new powers to kill Ben. But.. something happened. He changed, or maybe my view of him changed. We grew close, very close, and our signatures did this thing. Mine accepted some of his, and gave up some of mine. He's very much a part of me, at least he was. Our bond made any injury dealt to one partner, an injury to the other, though less severe. The Resistance tricked me, and sent Mandalorians to attack. They drugged me, and in turn, without knowing, drugged Ben. I woke up in the arms of the Resistance, but they had no idea that I have a way of communicating with my troopers. They were called, and I was released, but not before Leia commanded a Resistance sniper to dart me with some kind of poison, or bacteria, whatever it was, I got sick, and was in a coma for weeks. I guess I got worse, and Ben took me back to the base, and traded my life for his. I woke up, cured, and he was gone. The Resistance executed him while I was in a coma. And now, here I am,” Rey finished her story, a tear leaking down her face. 

 

Maz Kanata looked at her, and then slumped down into her chair. 

 

“And that is all?” Maz asked, raising one brow.

 

“No. I got angry. I was fueled by hatred. I hunted down the Death Dealers. We wiped out the gang on Coruscant, and Tatooine and Corellia, and then in the Cloud City.”

  
  


“And that is how you got pulled in. Anger, fear, all feed off the Dark side of the force. But, something's not right, child. I've known the force for a very long time, since before the Sith uprising long ago, and it is telling me something is not quite right with your story, though you speak the truth. In the short time that you have known Leia Organa Solo, do you believe she would have the strength to kill her own son? The one she begged to come back to her? He and Luke are her only family left. Would she be so willing as to lose her only child?”

 

“She wouldn't have to be willing. There is a council inside the Resistance, they make big decisions,” Rey explained. 

 

“Yes child, they do, but the general is the one who says which decisions get put in place. Leia is the sole leader of the Resistance. The others are for show. So tell me again, would Leia be ready to lose her only child?”

 

Rey sat back and thought for a minute before answering.

 

“No. She wouldn't want to lose her son. But I can't feel him, or hear him. He's gone. Even drugged so we couldn't use the Force, we could still communicate across the bond. Now it's just silent,” Rey sighed. 

 

“Silent, yes, like I'm sure you were when you were in a coma,” Maz whispered, and Rey sat up straight. 

 

“He's dead, Maz. You're making this much harder. I saw the Mandalorians take his body when I went through their memories,” Rey said, looking away from her, across the cantina. 

 

A small hand took a hold of Rey's chin and jerked her head around, drawing Trig’s attention from the crowd.

 

“If your injuries are dealt to him and vice versa, why are you not also dead?” 

 

“Well I got drugged and went into a coma and he wasn't sick!” Rey shot back, looking back over to Maz’s all too knowing eyes.

 

“So why are you here?” Maz asked. 

 

“I had a vision while I was back on Starkiller. A.. a force vision. It was of Kylo. I don't know where he was, but I could feel him. I didn't recognize the planet. But I did recognize the Mandalorian banner. Everything about it screamed at me to come to you. That you would know what to do, what is going on with all this,” she said, waving her arm out. “So I am here, hoping that you know.”

  
  


“Hm, Mandalorians you say? Frequent flyers here, that bunch. What an interesting turn of events. As I said child, not all is as it seems in this galaxy. Search within yourself, and you will know the truth, that Ben Solo is not dead,” Maz said firmly, still holding her face. 

 

“Lets walk,” Max told her, grabbing her hand and dragging her through the cantina. 

 

“What do you mean?” Rey asked, taking long strides to keep up with the small creature’s surprisingly fast gait. 

 

“I mean Ben Solo is not dead. The Force tells me so. A being that great, that powerful, any Force user in the galaxy would have felt that ripple. The force works in mysterious ways, you know,” Maz said, continuing their journey through the rubble and into the jungle, Rey’s troopers on high alert, blasters in hand. 

 

Rey was suddenly jerked to a stop. She looked at her surroundings and drew in a sharp breath. 

 

“The last time you were here, what happened?” Maz asked, looking up at Rey. 

 

Rey walled up and touched the singed stone. 

“He was chasing me. I was shooting at him,” Rey whispered, following the boulder lined path.

 

“And?”

 

“And he took me.”

 

“Yes. And what did you feel?”

 

“Fear. Anger. Mostly fear.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because he was going to kill me. Or BB-8. whichever he could catch first. He was going to hurt me and torture me.”

 

“And?”

 

“And he didn't. He was gentle. As he  _ could _ be back then. I've seen his interrogations. I was an exception. He wasn't trying to kill me on Starkiller. Finn, maybe. Definitely Finn, actually.”

 

“Yes. And yet here you are. You fully believed that he was going to hurt you and then kill you. That fear was imprinted into your mind. 

 

It's the same fear you had on Jakku of running out of water, or not finding valuable enough scraps, yes? Instinctual?”

  
  


“I guess,” Rey answered, turning to look at Maz. 

 

“So now I need you to reach out. Forget what you think you know. Those instincts that are telling you what you think you need to hear. We're going to make a trip,” she told Rey.

 

“A trip? Where?” Rey stuttered. 

 

“Your mind is powerful. You must use it to your advantage,” Maz moved her hands to either side of Rey's temples, and whispered, “we're making a trip into time.”

 

Rey opened her eyes but she was no longer in the jungle. Maz was next her, and they were on.. Yavin IV? Rey recognized the hidden hangars in the hills. A hangar opened up and revealed ground soldiers, General Leia behind them. 

 

“Set her down, and then lay down your weapons, and kneel with your back to us,” a man called out. 

 

Rey didn't know what he was talking to, but Maz turned her around, and a small sob broke through. Kylo was holding her, a very pale, sick version of her. 

 

“I need to know you have it,” Kylo called out.

 

“I have it,” General Leia shouted back. 

 

Rey watched as Kylo set her body down and crossed her arms. He leaned down and Rey watched as he whispered into her ear. The soldiers were advancing, and were soon upon them, blasters pointed towards Kylo. He didn't fight as one came up and jabbed a needle into his neck. Kylo rocked back and forth until the drug took full control, and the he fell right beside Rey's body. A man, Poe, leaned down and picked her up, running towards the hangar. The group waited for a small transport to pick up Kylo, and they threw him into the back. Rey and Maz followed the transport into the hangar, and into a room, to the table where they strapped down Kylo. They used the same cuffs that she woke up with, strapping him down tight. A man rolled up Kylo’s sleeve and pushed a needle into his vein, taping it down. He injected two more drugs into him, first a blue one and then a clear one. Leia stepped up to the bed as Kylo’s eyes fluttered open. He looked at his mother, and then strained against the cuffs. 

 

“Is she safe?” he asked, still pulling against the blue cuffs. 

 

“She's been given the reversal, yes. She will be fine. You, son, on the other hand, will not be.”

 

Kylo looked straight ahead. 

 

“I'm ready for any punishment the Resistance has in store for me. It doesn't come undeserved. But please, she is innocent in all of this. She cannot be treated as a First Order operative. She was never with the Order. She was with me.”

 

Leia looked down at her son. “Rey can do as she pleases when she wakes. That dart, it was meant for you, but when we saw how hard you fought for her, we knew it had to be her to take it. I knew you'd come back with her, begging for the cure. It was the only way we could stop you. The girl, the one you love more dearly than your family, she would be the death of you.”

 

“You're right, I do love her more than my family. The family that sent me away when they were scared of me, the family that gave me up to Snoke. The family that told me I was as evil and powerful as my grandfather, every day of my life. They family that turned on me and tried to kill me in my sleep. So yes, I do love her more than you, or Han, and especially Luke.  She completed me, brought me closer to the light than I've ever been before. She took the darkness and ripped holes into its so the light may shine through. She's my everything. So do as you will with me, but leave her out of it,” Kylo finished, not looking at his mother. 

 

Rey choked on a sob, reaching out for Kylo, but her hand went right through the image. 

 

“So be it,” Leia said, turning towards the door. “I'll be back shortly. There must be a discussion of what to do with you.”

 

Leia left, and Maz waved her hand, and time seemed a blur, and Leia was once again walking through the door.

 

“The council demands public punishment. One lash for every life you have ended, until you either pass out or die of blood loss, whichever comes first,” the general said, waving in a group of men. 

 

“ _ No _ !” Rey shouted, reaching out to stop the group, but they moved right through her. It was one of the most painful ways to die, blood loss. Tears ran down her face as the men placed a magnet on one of the blue cuffs and then released the straps and Kylo’s hands came crashing together. They unbound his feet, and jerked him up. They stripped him of his robes and shirt, and tossed the pile onto the bed. Rey followed as Kylo was led out of the room.

 

“Wait,” he commanded, and Leia stopped, the group stopping with her. 

 

“Let me see her. Let me see her one last time,” he begged his mother. 

 

Leia’s face seemed to soften, and then once again a mask went up. She began walking again, the group following. She stopped in front of a door, and pushed it open, and waved Kylo in. He stepped in, Rey and Maz following. Kylo stopped at the side of a bed, and Rey could see her brown hair splayed across a pillow. Kylo got down on his knees, and leaned forward. He grabbed her hand in his, and brought it to his face, kissing it. 

 

“Rey, my love, when this is all over, know that I love you. Do not blame my mother, this was my fault. If I was strong enough to fight Snoke in the beginning, then this would have never happened.. I would have never met you and you wouldn't be laying here, hooked up to machines. I love you, Rey. I was going to marry you. It would have been a huge celebration. It would have happened on Corellia, or Naboo. You'd love both places. I was going to kill Snoke for you, so that our family may live peacefully. I would have left the First Order behind. You changed my life Rey, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you have to deal with the repercussions. You looked into my darkness and found the light, and I cannot thank you enough for that. I wish to become one with the Force, when this is over, so I can continue to watch over you. May the Force be with you, Rey, always,” Kylo whispered, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. 

 

Rey covered her mouth, where she knew sobs would come out of she moved her hand. The hole in her heart grew exponentially. She felt like she was drowning in heartache. Her heart physically hurt, like it had been ripped from her chest. She watched Kylo drop her hand and walk towards the door. She heard a murmured “Thank you” to his mother. 

 

The door closed, but Rey followed Maz through the closed door. They followed the group outside, where hundreds of people were waiting. They all stared in silence as Kylo was led to a frame where his hands were magnetized to each end. Rey saw the muscles on his back ripple as his arms were stretched by the strong magnets. 

 

“Kylo Ren, you are to be punished for your crimes against the galaxy which include manslaughter, torture, and homicide in the worst degree. You are to be whipped until unconscious, or until death, whichever may come first. If unconsciousness comes first, then you will be given a lethal injection.”

 

Rey looked out across the crowd and found two faces. Poe and Finn side by side. Poe looked defeated, next to the hard featured Finn. Finn stood with his expression stoned, fists clenched by his sides. The man in black pulled out a whip from a holster on his pants. The tip of it was electrified, the blue lightning crackling. Rey winced as she remembered the feeling of her secondhand wound to an electrostaff. Kylo stood tall, head up, facing away from the crowd, as the first strike was dealt, and Rey flinched as it snapped across his skin. Spasms laced his body, but he didn't make a sound as a wound opened on his back, dripping blood on the ground. Tears streaked down Rey's face, as he was dealt blow after blow, but Kylo stood tall. His broad back was covered in lashes, enough that the scars from Snoke’s punishment had been completely covered. Rey walked around to Kylo, and stood in front of him. Tears leaked from his eyes, but his jaw was hard set. Rey lost count at 30, and now the whip was just hitting already opened skin. Rey watched as Kylo winced for the first time. She held his face and looked into his eyes. She knew what he was doing. He was using his pain for strength so that he would bleed out before they finished. He wanted to feel the pain of the billions of souls on the Hosnian system, even though he had nothing to do with the attack. 

 

“Let go, Ben. Let go. Don't go like this, please. I know you're strong, but this isn't strength, this is stubbornness. You've proven your point. Any other man would have passed out long ago. Please let go,” Rey said, holding his face. Kylo raised his chin up, and looked directly in her eyes. 

 

“Rey… I love you,” he choked, and then his eyes rolled back, and his body went limp, leaving him hanging by his arms. 

 

“I love you too, Ben.”

 

The crowd cheered as Kylo slumped and Rey looked out into the crowd, and found Poe and Finn. Finn was still steely faced, but Rey watched as Poe wiped a tear off his face, and turned away. Four men came up with a stretcher and released the magnets holding Kylo up. He crashed to the ground at Rey's feet, one hand stretching towards her. Maz grabbed her hand, and time seemed to race by again, and then they were in a room, with Leia and Kylo. He was strapped to a table, an IV in one vein. Blood was still oozing from his back, spilling over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. A doctor stood beside Leia, a syringe in her hand.

 

“Let me,” Leia whispered, taking the syringe from the doctor. 

 

The doctor left the room, leaving just Leia and her son. She reached across and stroked his face. 

 

“Don't touch him!” Rey screamed, but  Leia kept her hand on him, unknowing of Rey’s presence.

 

Rey watched as Leia dove her hand into her pocket, hiding the syringe. She pulled out another, looking around her. She pushed it into the IV and expelled all the liquid. She grabbed Ben's hand as the machine hooked to him indicated a dropping heartbeat. Then a loud buzzing as the screen flat lined. Rey watched Kylo’s chest take a ragged breath. And then stillness. Leia stroked his face, a smile and a tear on her own. She took the original syringe and expelled it's contents onto the floor into the pool of blood that had gathered, then put them both in her pocket. She pulled out her comm.

 

“He's ready,” were the only words she spoke, and then Rey was flying through time, and then back into the green jungle of Tokadona. 

 

“What was that? I don't know what this means! He's alive?” she asked Maz, wide eyed, heart beating, breathless.

 

“My powers in the force aren't physical like yours. Mine are more mental, and yet not quite. We went through the flow of time, to the past. The past and the present, they're set in stone, so it's easy to visit, but not that easy. It takes a lot from me as I am very old, that's why we had to come back so quickly. I'm not used to carrying another conscience.  I have never taken somebody else along with me, and that means something, Rey. You can do much more than you know, and a lot more than the galaxy thinks. You have always understood languages and scripts you've never heard before, haven't you? I bet you speak with the Wookie flawlessly, and the droids, or anyone else for that matter? The Force has plans for you. It doesn't give so many gifts to very many users, Dark nor Light.  Now, I don't believe the General would kill her only son, hence the switched drugs. He is somewhere, in this galaxy, and you must find him. I am of no more use to you,” Maz explained, holding Rey's hand. 

 

“How am I supposed to find him?” she asked Maz, filled with newfound hope, a new light sparked in her heart.

 

“That is a question you must ask yourself. Search within you. Go back to where it all began. And go, go child! Go before it's too late!” Maz Kanata began shouting, shooing Rey and her trio away from stones and jungle.

 

“Thank you,” Rey called back, and began sprinting towards the shuttle. 

 

Chewbacca growled a greeting, and Rey nodded towards him, pulling her hood down. 

 

“We're going to Coruscant,” she told him, and the Wookie rolled his eyes, complaining. 

“Oh it smells bad? Wait until they get a load of you. They might need to call pest control,” she teased him. 

 

“He's alive, Chewie,” she looked over at the Wookie sitting in the copilot's place. “Ben. He's alive.”

 

Chewie let out a happy roar and picked Rey up from where she was sitting. 

 

“But if we're going to rescue him, we need to rest, and to do that properly, we need to go to Coruscant.”

 

She looked back at Trig. 

 

“We’re going to go get him back,” she said and he slowly nodded his head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHH SO SORRY I DID SO MUCH EDITING AND REWRITING AND IT WAS DRIVING ME CRAZY SO I'M SORRY THAT IT WAS SO MUCH ALL CRAMMED TOGETHER BUT AHHHHHHH.
> 
> till next time, lovelies ;)


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